PREWAPHARM aims to reduce pharmaceutical residues in water across North-West Europe.  Pharmaceutical residues in North-West European waters are a growing concern, exacerbated by an ageing population and climate change. Up to 90% of orally administered pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and hormones, enter water systems after use. Exposure to these may disrupt aquatic ecosystems, influence antibiotic resistance, and hinder clean drinking water production. The project will run for four years.

Goals

PREWAPHARM will develop two key solutions to reduce pharmaceutical residues in water: one focusing on medicine use and the other on wastewater treatment. These solutions will be integrated into regional action plans to enhance implementation and impact. The medicine use solution is a result of three transnational pilots aimed at promoting sustainable practices, such as greener prescriptions, appropriate drug delivery and disposal, and patient adherence. Meanwhile, the wastewater treatment solution will be developed through four pilots utilising advanced techniques at high-risk sites, including healthcare units and hospitals, to remove pharmaceuticals at their source.

PREWAPHARM will establish an NWE-wide knowledge centre with regional communities of practice to ensure long-term impact through a collaborative ecosystem. Capacity-building and awareness-raising activities will engage key stakeholders across the healthcare and water sectors, including policymakers, health institutes, water technology companies, water boards, patient organisations, and citizens.

Consortium

The PREWAPHARM project unites 18 partners and 35 associated organisations across 7 countries to foster collaboration within the healthcare-water chain, following a quadruple helix model.

RIVM role

RIVM is internationally renowned for its knowledge on environmental risks of pharmaceuticals in the environment, green pharmaceuticals, and sustainable medicine use. We are involved in several international projects on pharmaceuticals in the environment, such as PREMIER, TransPharm, PHARMECO and Planetary Health Education in Prescribing (PlanED Prescribing).

RIVM colleagues involved are based at the RIVM Centre for Safety of Substances. This centre houses the secretariat of the Dutch Chain Approach on Pharmaceutical Residues in Water.

RIVM is task leader of Activity A1.2 on prioritisation of pharmaceuticals with an environmental risk and will mainly contribute with expertise on ecological risk assessment. Activity 1.6 is also led by RIVM, where a transnational strategy will be developed using RIVM’s network and experience with the Dutch Chain Approach and other (inter)national initiatives. Besides this, RIVM is involved in Activities 1.1, and 1.5 and will advise on most other tasks.

Funding

This project is an Interreg North-West Europe project, co-funded by the European Union.