Biologic Pen Injector Waste; Lessons from the PenCycle Scheme

Biologic medicines have revolutionised management of Dermatological conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis and their use is likely to not only continue but grow with their success. Most of these medications are delivered through self injector systems, commonly a pre-filled pen made of high quality plastics that will be disposed of after one use. The success of Novo Nordisk's PenCycle scheme in the UK has offered encouragement that salvaging much of this plastic and recycling it for other purposes is a viable route to significantly reducing the amount of plastic disposed of and, in the context of the global climate crisis, should be considered by all stakeholders.