D2.387 - Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Cetirizine Prescription: Exploring Patient Perspectives on Formulation Choice in an Allergy Clinic

Climate change has significant consequences for child health, underscoring the need to reduce our environmental and carbon footprint to achieve the NHS's net-zero goal. This project focuses on reducing the carbon footprint by examining cetirizine use in our allergy clinic. The syrup form of cetirizine significantly increases dispensing costs due to greater requirements for packaging, handling, and storage. In contrast, tablets are more compact, stable, and cost-effective, with lower production and transportation costs and a longer shelf life. We aim to understand patient perspectives on the facilitators and barriers of different cetirizine forms, guiding us toward informed and impactful improvements.

This study conducted an eight-question survey of patients aged 6 to 16 who presented to asthma and allergy clinics in 2023. The inclusion criteria included patients aged 6–16 currently using cetirizine. Exclusion criteria included children under six years of age, those over 16 years, and patients or parents unable to complete the survey due to language barriers or incomplete responses. The survey data were recorded in Microsoft Excel.

More than half of the responders (63.6%) were children and young people, with a mean age of 9.4 years. Among the respondents, 54.5% preferred the syrup form of cetirizine, citing ease of swallowing as the primary reason, while the disadvantages included difficulty in carrying and a shorter expiry date. In contrast, tablets were favoured for their portability and longer shelf life, though some noted difficulty swallowing as a drawback. Significant differences were observed regarding the responses to the question of the age at which children can swallow tablets, with answers ranging from 1 to 14 years; notably, 5 out of 22 respondents indicated that children could start swallowing tablets at the age of 13. (Table 1)

Switching patients from syrup to tablets can significantly reduce the carbon footprint in our allergy clinic. Tablets require less energy in production and packaging, lowering carbon emissions. Educating patients, particularly parents of children over age 6, about the ability to swallow tablets can further support this transition. This shift promotes environmental sustainability, cost savings, and a more eco-friendly healthcare system.