Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices of ecopharmacology among Indian medical undergraduates in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Goa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-2156.IntJSciRep20261490Keywords:
Antibiotic resistance, Environmental pollution, Ecopharmacology, Safe disposal practicesAbstract
Background: Improper disposal of unused and expired medications from households poses significant environmental concerns due to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). These persist in the environment and bioaccumulate, disrupting ecological balance through various mechanisms. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding ecopharmacology among MBBS students at Goa Medical College.
Methods: A total of 270 participants were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire covering demographic information and KAP related to ecopharmacology. The collected data was transcribed into spreadsheets and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Results indicate a satisfactory level of awareness among students, with the majority acknowledging the environmental implications of improper medication disposal, including pollution and antibiotic resistance. However, a significant gap was observed in awareness of guidelines for proper disposal. Despite positive attitudes towards raising awareness and implementing regulatory guidelines, many students reported engaging in improper disposal practices, such as throwing medications in household trash without segregation or flushing them down sinks or toilets. Proposed strategies for improvement include the establishment of pharmacy take-back programs and designated bins for pharmaceutical waste with waste collection systems.
Conclusions: MBBS students at Goa Medical College have adequate knowledge and positive attitudes towards ecopharmacology; however, awareness of specific disposal guidelines is lacking. Integrating relevant content into the medical curriculum can help bridge this gap and promote eco-friendly healthcare practices among future physicians.
References
Kummerer K. Pharmacoenvironmentology–a component of pharmacovigilance. Drug Saf. 2006;29(5):371–7.
Tong AY, Peake BM, Braund R. Minimizing the environmental impact of unused pharmaceuticals: Review focused on prevention. Front Environ Sci. 2022;10:1077974.
Mitkidis P, Chrysochou P, Obolevich V, Mitkidis K. Effectiveness of environmental health and loss framing on household pharmaceutical take-back schemes. Waste Manag. 2022;143:61–8.
Makki M, Hassali MA, Awaisu A, Hashmi F. The prevalence of unused medications in homes. Pharmacy (Basel). 2019;7(2):61.
OECD. Management of pharmaceutical household waste: Limiting environmental impacts of unused or expired medicine. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2022.
Sharma R, Gupta P, Singh S, Verma A, Kumar N, Singh R, et al. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of ecopharmacology among MBBS students in a tertiary hospital in North India. Int J Health Clin Res. 2021;4(15):1–5.
Narasimhaiah MG, James A, Kalaburgi RA. Eco-pharmacology: Awareness and practice of drug disposal among medical students. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2020;9(7):1007–10.
Bhadoriya SS, Wadagbalkar P. A questionnaire-based study on the knowledge, attitude and practice of ecopharmacology among healthcare professionals in Madhya Pradesh. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2024;13(1):101–6.
Advani M, Jadhao TR. A questionnaire-based study on the knowledge, attitude and practice of ecopharmacology among healthcare professionals in a teaching hospital in India. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2019;8(6):1413–8.
Wilkinson JL, Boxall ABA, Kolpin DW. Pharmaceutical pollution of the world’s rivers. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2022;119(8):2113947119.
United Nations Environment Programme. Environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants (EPPPs). 2020.
Ahmad A, Patel I, Khan MU, Babar ZU. Pharmaceutical waste and antimicrobial resistance. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017;17(6):578–9.
World Health Organization. World leaders and experts call for action to protect the environment from antimicrobial pollution. 2022.
Kumar S, Yadav S, Kataria N, Chauhan AK, Joshi S. Recent advancement in nanotechnology for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater: sources, toxicity, and remediation technology. Curr Poll. 2023;9(2):110-42.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Disposal of unused medicines: What you should know. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know. Accessed on 21 December 2025.
Banjar H, Alrowithi R, Alhadrami S, Magrabi E, Munshi R, Alrige M. An intelligent system for proper management and disposal of unused and expired medications. Int J Env Res Public Health. 2022;19(5):2875.
Rogowska J, Zimmermann A. Household pharmaceutical waste disposal as a global problem: a review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(23):15798.
Lunghi C, Valetto MR, Caracciolo AB, Bramke I, Caroli S. Call to action: Pharmaceutical residues in the environment: threats to ecosystems and human health. Drug Safety. 2025;48(4):315-20.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
