Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers
Objective Inhalation therapy is the cornerstone of COPD, together with non-pharmacological treatments. Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs), alone or in combination with long-acting β-agonists (LABAs), are commonly used. Pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Respiratory Society
2023-05-01
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| Series: | ERJ Open Research |
| Online Access: | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/3/00543-2022.full |
| _version_ | 1797689378441527296 |
|---|---|
| author | Christer Janson Jaime Hernando Platz Stéphane Soulard Sue Langham Lindsay Nicholson Elisabeth Sophia Hartgers-Gubbels |
| author_facet | Christer Janson Jaime Hernando Platz Stéphane Soulard Sue Langham Lindsay Nicholson Elisabeth Sophia Hartgers-Gubbels |
| author_sort | Christer Janson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective
Inhalation therapy is the cornerstone of COPD, together with non-pharmacological treatments. Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs), alone or in combination with long-acting β-agonists (LABAs), are commonly used. Pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and soft-mist inhalers (SMIs) are used, each with different carbon footprints. This study aimed to assess the carbon footprint of hypothetically replacing LAMA or LAMA/LABA inhalers with an SMI, Respimat Reusable, within the same therapeutic class.
Methods
An environmental impact model was established to assess the change in carbon footprint of replacing pMDIs/DPIs with Respimat Reusable within the same therapeutic class (LAMA or LAMA/LABA) across 12 European countries and the USA over 5 years. Inhaler use for country and disease-specific populations was derived from international prescribing data and the associated carbon footprint (CO2 equivalents (CO2e)) was identified from published sources.
Results
Over 5 years and across all countries, replacing LAMA inhalers with Spiriva Respimat Reusable reduced CO2e emissions by 13.3–50.9%, saving 93–6228 tonnes of CO2e in the different countries studied. Replacing LAMA/LABA inhalers with Spiolto Respimat Reusable reduced CO2e emissions by 9.5–92.6%, saving 31–50 843 tonnes of CO2e. In scenario analyses, which included total replacement of DPIs/pMDIs, consistent CO2e savings were estimated. Sensitivity analyses showed that results were sensitive to changes in several parameters including varying assumptions around reusability of inhalers and potential CO2e impact.
Conclusion
Replacement of pMDIs and DPIs with Respimat Reusable within the same therapeutic class would result in substantial reductions in CO2e emissions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:44:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d464508e8fa34378ac6376ffd3ba97c0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-0541 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:44:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | European Respiratory Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ERJ Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-d464508e8fa34378ac6376ffd3ba97c02023-09-09T13:53:53ZengEuropean Respiratory SocietyERJ Open Research2312-05412023-05-019310.1183/23120541.00543-202200543-2022Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalersChrister Janson0Jaime Hernando Platz1Stéphane Soulard2Sue Langham3Lindsay Nicholson4Elisabeth Sophia Hartgers-Gubbels5 Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany Boehringer Ingelheim bv, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Maverex Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Maverex Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany Objective Inhalation therapy is the cornerstone of COPD, together with non-pharmacological treatments. Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs), alone or in combination with long-acting β-agonists (LABAs), are commonly used. Pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and soft-mist inhalers (SMIs) are used, each with different carbon footprints. This study aimed to assess the carbon footprint of hypothetically replacing LAMA or LAMA/LABA inhalers with an SMI, Respimat Reusable, within the same therapeutic class. Methods An environmental impact model was established to assess the change in carbon footprint of replacing pMDIs/DPIs with Respimat Reusable within the same therapeutic class (LAMA or LAMA/LABA) across 12 European countries and the USA over 5 years. Inhaler use for country and disease-specific populations was derived from international prescribing data and the associated carbon footprint (CO2 equivalents (CO2e)) was identified from published sources. Results Over 5 years and across all countries, replacing LAMA inhalers with Spiriva Respimat Reusable reduced CO2e emissions by 13.3–50.9%, saving 93–6228 tonnes of CO2e in the different countries studied. Replacing LAMA/LABA inhalers with Spiolto Respimat Reusable reduced CO2e emissions by 9.5–92.6%, saving 31–50 843 tonnes of CO2e. In scenario analyses, which included total replacement of DPIs/pMDIs, consistent CO2e savings were estimated. Sensitivity analyses showed that results were sensitive to changes in several parameters including varying assumptions around reusability of inhalers and potential CO2e impact. Conclusion Replacement of pMDIs and DPIs with Respimat Reusable within the same therapeutic class would result in substantial reductions in CO2e emissions.http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/3/00543-2022.full |
| spellingShingle | Christer Janson Jaime Hernando Platz Stéphane Soulard Sue Langham Lindsay Nicholson Elisabeth Sophia Hartgers-Gubbels Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers ERJ Open Research |
| title | Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers |
| title_full | Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers |
| title_fullStr | Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers |
| title_short | Reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft-mist inhalers |
| title_sort | reducing carbon footprint by switching to reusable soft mist inhalers |
| url | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/3/00543-2022.full |
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