A new peer-reviewed article, co-authored by Susana Loureiro, Maria Pavlaki, Patrícia Veríssimo Silva e Madalena Vieira, researchers from CESAM/Dbio, within the framework of the Horizon Europe project ETERNAL , has been published in Environmental Sciences Europe (Environ Sci Eur 37, 128, 2025). The study, developed together with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, critically examines the European Union’s strategy and legislative proposals concerning pharmaceuticals, evaluating them in light of the latest scientific evidence on potential risks to ecosystems and human health.
The publication — Continuous improvement towards environmental protection for pharmaceuticals: advancing a strategy for Europe — highlights the importance of continuously updating and strengthening EU regulatory frameworks. Drawing on expertise in modelling environmental change, marine and terrestrial systems, and One Health approaches, the authors reviewed key legislative documents, scientific literature, and stakeholder contributions from public consultations held between 2021 and 2023.
Their analysis identifies major areas where improvements are still needed, including:
- assessment of pharmaceutical mixtures rather than individual substances,
- broader approaches to testing and predicting ecological effects,
- improved consideration of environmental variability, and
- stricter measures to reduce pharmaceutical emissions into the environment.
The study underscores the need for adaptive legislation that evolves in step with scientific advances, ensuring stronger protection for both biodiversity and public health. The authors hope their findings will support dialogue across policy, science, and industry to foster more sustainable pharmaceutical regulation in Europe.
This contribution represents an important step of the ETERNAL project, which aims to address the environmental challenges associated with pharmaceuticals and to promote safer, more sustainable practices.
The full open-access article is available at Environmental Sciences Europe.