#7 - Ilona Hale. MD - The Environmental Impacts of Medicine.

Welcome to the seventh episode of Deprescribe. My guest today is Dr. Ilona Hale, MD. In this episode, Ilona and Shawn discuss:* The statistics and evidence detailing the negative environmental impact of pharmaceuticals and our healthcare system.* Strategies and insights on how clinicians can improve their clinical practice to make it more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Key HighlightsThe D.O.P.E.D. Framework: Reducing Unnecessary Medicines 101. * Diagnosis: Having an accurate diagnosis and appropriate indication before prescribing medications.* Options: Based on clinical context, try to offer non-pharmacological interventions as first-line therapy when appropriate.* Patients: Include the patient in the decision-making process and empower them to be involved in their treatment plan. * Evidence-Based: Always select evidence-based treatment options—prime clinical example: patients requesting antibiotics for viral infections. * Deprescribe: Always consider optimizing and reducing medications. The Environmental Impact of Primary Care* 61% of the environmental footprint from primary care comes from pharmaceuticals — the medicines we prescribe!* 13% alone comes from metered dose inhalers (MDIs).Show Notes and Links:Dr. Hale’s presentation with the Therapeutics Initiative at The University of British Columbia on the evidence and data behind the environmental impact of medicines.The Asulkan Valley Trail - Glacier National Park, British Columbia.Amusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse In The Age of Show Business. Author: Neil PostmanAlternate Links To The Podcast:Connect with Shawn:LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Personal Site | InstagramHow To Support This Podcast:If you enjoy this podcast and want to support me, there are 2 ways you can for free:* Give this podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts* Share this with friends, colleagues, family or anyone you think would enjoy more content and would gain from learning more about deprescribing.Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or leave a comment.If you enjoyed this podcast episode, please consider subscribing to the channel and sharing this episode.Thanks for tuning in. Your support means everything!B.U.D.S is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to B.U.D.S at shawngill.substack.com/subscribe