Why Healthcare’s ‘Do No Harm’ Ethic Must Include the Planet

The Environmental Footprint of Healthcare

Healthcare means care. The rule “do no harm” now must cover the planet. The industry adds 4.4% to global carbon emissions. Medtech makes 71% of that emission. It makes devices, uses them, and throws them away. In the UK, the NHS makes 156,000 tonnes of waste a year. Most waste is single-use. Up to 90% are disposables. This waste shows that products must be built to last, be fixed, and be reused.

EU Ecodesign Regulation: A Step Toward Circular Healthcare

The EU ecodesign law makes a change now. It forces a longer life for products. It makes repairs easy. It makes products join a circle of use instead of ending in a bin. For medical devices, the law waits when safety is at risk. The law stops changes that might cause infection. This care for patients and our planet now ask: Can both be safe at once?

Challenges and Setbacks in the US and Beyond

The US has slowed progress. Climate rule rollbacks delay safety changes. Harmful ethylene oxide stays in use. Ethylene oxide can cause cancer. Safer methods like CO₂ or UV light are held back. These safe methods let us use devices again. Reuse cuts waste.

Opportunities for Sustainable Innovation in Medtech

Sustainable steps exist along the full life of medtech. We can act in these ways:

• Green public procurement – Buy eco-friendly items.
• Research and development – Build devices that are easy to fix.
• Standardization – Use interchangeable parts for long use.
• Material consistency – Use one kind of material for easy recycling.
• Reimagined packaging – Pack with less material and use recyclables.

Big medtech companies lead by example:

• Medtronic aims for net-zero emissions by 2030.
• Johnson & Johnson uses recycling and shares its environmental work.
• Abbott plans a 90% waste cut by changing its packaging.

The Path Forward: Integrating Planetary and Patient Health

Medtech is vast. In the US, it stands at US$587 billion. Investment in research is 8% of that value. Shifting funds to green work can change medicine. When patient safety links with the planet’s health, care wins. Smarter design and buying help care for all.

References:

• McMahon, Muireann. “Why healthcare’s ‘do no harm’ ethic must include the planet.” The Conversation, October 30, 2025. DOI: 10.64628/AB.wcj5xxqyk
• EU Ecodesign Regulation documentation
• NHS Sustainability Reports

This text shows that healthcare must care for patients and the planet. It uses close links between words to keep ideas clear and easy to read.

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