Sustainability

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Vanderwee et al. introduced a pragmatic decision-making approach for healthcare facilities with tools to select environmentally sustainable alternatives to replace single-use options. A cross-sectional multi-center survey in Belgian hospitals was performed, followed by an exploratory analysis of the sustainability of commonly used healthcare materials. The authors developed a structured assessment method, combining real-world procurement data and literature-based evaluations to inform sustainable, safe, and cost-effective material choices.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Mermillod et al. estimated the carbon footprint of the Geneva healthcare system. The study identifies key emission contributors, highlighting medicines and medical devices as the dominant global emission sources (59%). When excluding these, hospitals emerge as the primary source of emissions (48%), followed by nursing homes and private practices. The authors outlined direct and systemic strategies for reduction, including optimizing prescription practices, energy use, and transportation. The findings provide a foundation for policymakers to implement ambitious carbon reduction policies in healthcare.

In late January 2025, the Nordic Initiative for Environmental Labelling of Medical Supplies (NIELS) project was completed. The initiative was aimed to promote greener procurement of medical equipment by expanding the use of eco-labeling. Following its successful conclusion, the project is now considering opportunities to broaden the dialogue to a European level.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Iakovou et al. conducted a systematic review evaluating sustainability initiatives in plastic surgery, analyzing data on carbon emissions, waste management, and procedural costs. Based on data from 15 studies, hand surgery emerged as the leading subspecialty driving sustainability practices, complemented by notable efforts in craniofacial, skin cancer, and breast surgery. Notably, effective recycling programs redirected an average of 39.6 tonnes of waste per month, and the average carbon footprint was calculated as 22.7 kgCO2-eq per procedure.

In February 2025, the Belgian National Unit for Health and Environment published a report on the Operation Zero study, which examines carbon emissions from Belgium's healthcare sector. The report comprises results of a study of country's greenhouse gas emissions, a roadmap outlining projected emission trends and proposing policy measures to reduce them, and implementation framework with concrete recommendations across several areas, such as renewable energy adoption, climate-neutral infrastructure, sustainable waste management, and greener healthcare supply chains.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Cimprich et al. discussed strategies of regulatory actors, particularly market authorization agencies, health technology assessment agencies, and health care procurement agencies, for integrating environmental sustainability requirements into the regulation of medicines and medical devices. Their analysis, contextualized within diverse healthcare settings, reveals significant untapped possibilities for strengthening regulatory frameworks to mitigate the ecological footprint of health technologies.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, McCance et al. conducted a comparative carbon footprint analysis of disposable versus reusable surgical instruments in cataract surgery in the UK. Their findings highlighted the substantial environmental impact of single-use items, which had a 27-fold higher carbon footprint than reusable alternatives, with net carbon savings achieved after 19 or more reuses. These findings emphasize the necessity of integrating sustainability strategies into surgical workflows to mitigate healthcare's environmental footprint.

In February 2025, the Board of Danish Regions meeting was held. The key themes discussed concerned prioritizing public wellbeing and environmental sustainability, expanding cancer treatment capacity and funding, and the status of the Common Regional Procurement Strategy 2020-2025 (including “green” procurement).

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Haluza et al. conducted an exploratory survey at the General Hospital in Vienna, Austria, to assess anesthesia team members’ perspectives on precycling and recycling of anesthetic gases. The study revealed a generally positive attitude toward adopting sustainable practices, suggesting a strong potential for reducing volatile anesthetic use through active staff engagement.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Morris et al. conducted a scoping review of data on waste and greenhouse gas emissions in ophthalmic surgery. Results of 10 studies revealed that most emissions are linked to the procurement of surgical materials, followed by travel emissions and building energy. The authors also proposed a standardized waste-lifecycle framework to organize future research to help generate robust evidence for implementing impactful waste reduction strategies in ophthalmology.

In January 2025, the Spanish Minister of Health participated in a meeting to establish the “Green Anesthesia” working group. The group’s goal is to further advance the sustainability of the healthcare system and develop a set of best practices and solutions to achieve “better anesthesia for patients and for the planet”.

On January 1, 2025, an amended Executive Order on Medical Devices entered into force, which makes it possible to send single-use medical devices for reprocessing and further reuse. At the same time, it ensures that the reprocessed devices are safe and effective to use on an equal footing with the original CE-marked devices.