OBJECTIVES: The healthcare industry generates ~4-5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As part of their commitment to improving human health, pharmaceutical and MedTech companies are beginning to develop products and processes that prioritize sustainability. This shift has yielded early successes but is still in its initial phases. This targeted literature review aimed to identify recent examples of successful implementation of sustainability initiatives in these industries and opportunities for continued progress.

METHODS: Literature published between June 2020 and 2023 were identified from PubMed, Embase, and Google, focusing on pharmaceutical and MedTech companies’ environmental impact and sustainability efforts, as well as the business implications of these initiatives. Peer-reviewed literature and company-generated reports were captured.

RESULTS: Data were extracted from 27 sources, including 15 environmental impact reports from pharmaceutical and MedTech companies, 4 manuscripts, and 8 government/organization reports. Companies looked beyond carbon emissions to examine water use, raw materials sourcing, and waste generation. High-impact success stories were identified, most notably from European companies focusing on sustainability across the product lifecycle. In the early phases of product development, AstraZeneca partners with My Green Lab, a nonprofit providing accreditations and guidance on in-lab behavioral changes related to energy consumption. This has yielded over 1 million kWh/year in energy savings. Philips’s EcoDesign initiative, focusing on energy efficiency, raw materials use, and recyclability, yielded €1.63 billion in savings in 2022, and these standards will be used in all new product development by 2025.

CONCLUSIONS: These initial success stories may signal a shift to industry-wide recognition of the criticality of sustainability and its associated business benefits. Although not all companies are prioritizing sustainability, early actors are advancing a more holistic and financially sound long-term approach to improving human health. Future research on sustainability initiatives should seek to further understand return on investment decisions, supply chain implications, and analyzing waste impact.