Global innovative healthcare company Sanofi and the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM) signed a partnership agreement, during the World Diabetes Day On November 14, 2023, to further implement plastic waste management in their operations, and support the government’s environmental priorities through the Responsible DisPENsing project.
“PCEDM and Sanofi believe that environmental sustainability is a collective effort. We aim to lessen the amount of waste from healthcare products, and give used insulin pens a new purpose through a simple yet effective process, which is a great way to start,” said PCDEM president Marjorie Ramos.
As of 2021, there are over 4 million total cases of diabetes among Filipino adults, and a portion of whom use insulin pens for treatment. Together with other plastic waste, insulin pens may end up in landfills and get thrown into the ocean, if improperly disposed.
Through the Responsible DisPENsing project, people with diabetes who use insulin pens will now be able to drop off their empty pens in designated collection bins at any PCEDM-accredited hospital starting December. The discarded pens will be collected and downcycled into eco-bricks that can be used for the construction of garden pathways and pavements.
While there are currently 10 PCEDM-accredited training hospitals, including the Philippine General Hospital, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, and the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, PCEDM and Sanofi are looking to expand the project to more hospitals in Metro Manila and Cavite to expand its footprint.
“At Sanofi, our dedication to improving people’s lives goes beyond innovations in healthcare. As a global organization, we also take active responsibility in caring for our planet as much as we can. With PCEDM and through the Responsible DisPENsing project, we hope to contribute to the protection of our marine biodiversity by reducing our environmental footprint,” said Sanofi general medicines foundation country lead and general manager Janet Yap.