The plastic paradox: The tightrope between innovative medicines and sustainability

Plastic is woven into the fabric of modern medicine. From single-use packaging to complex cold-chain logistics, it has long been seen as necessary. Yet, with World Environment Day 2025 spotlighting the theme Beat Plastic Pollution, the healthcare industry is being asked to reckon with its environmental footprint in ways that can no longer be deferred.

In this Health Industry Hub vodcast, Luke Cornish, Head of Corporate Affairs at Sanofi ANZ, pulls back the curtain on the complex realities and notable shifts shaping pharma’s environmental sustainability journey.

He reflects on the federal government’s Climate and Health Expert Advisory Group and the release of Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy. But with health and climate policy still often siloed, Cornish considers whether government action is still stuck in pilot mode and falling short of real momentum.

The discussion also delves into Sanofi’s involvement in the Medicines Australia Medical Sustainability Group (MAMSG) and the broader role of multinationals in shaping Australia’s sustainability narrative – especially when local manufacturing is limited. How can the industry contribute meaningfully to the national conversation when many of the levers of change sit offshore?

While Sanofi has made global commitments on net zero and sustainability, Cornish brings it closer to home highlighting local initiatives that show how a multinational can still make a difference on the ground in Australia.

Looking ahead, Cornish voices key trends that could redefine the healthcare sustainability agenda in the next five years, signalling a shift toward a more decisive, impactful industry-wide movement.

In reimagining healthcare across the entire patient journey, Health Industry Hub^TM is the only one-stop-hub uniting the diversity of the Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors to inspire meaningful change.

The Health Industry Hub^TM content is copyright protected. Access is available under individual user licenses. Please click here to subscribe and visit T&Cs here.