Who they are
Founded in 1592 and located in the heart of Dublin, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is Ireland's oldest and highest-ranked university. Within TCD, The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is Ireland's leading centre for pharmacy education and pharmaceutical research and is ranked 28th globally for its area of expertise. Through national and international collaborations, they seek to improve patient care while addressing emerging healthcare, environmental, and societal challenges.
Who represents Trinity College Dublin in PREWAPHARM
Activities for PREWAPHARM are led by internationally recognised Professor Cristín Ryan, Professor in Practice of Pharmacy, and PhD researcher Laura Culkin. Professor Ryan’s expertise is in improving patient care, focusing on enhancing medication use and patient safety. Laura Culkin works on reducing the environmental impact of medicines in primary care while maintaining high-quality patient care and health outcomes.
Their role in PREWAPHARM
Trinity College Dublin contributes to research, stakeholder engagement, and implementation activities aimed at reducing pharmaceutical pollution at source through changes in healthcare practice. They also support the design and evaluation of pilot interventions.
Why this topic matters
Medicines play a vital role in improving and maintaining health, but their use can also have unintended environmental consequences. Healthcare professionals and researchers have a responsibility to ensure that medicines are used as safely and sustainably as possible. Addressing pharmaceutical pollution is important not only for protecting aquatic ecosystems but also for supporting the long-term sustainability of healthcare systems.
Looking ahead
Trinity College Dublin collaborates with partners across Europe, allowing the exchange of expertise and providing support in efforts across the PREWAPHARM project. This helps us learn from different healthcare systems, and develop solutions that can have a meaningful and lasting impact on both environmental sustainability and patient care.
Photo credits: Trinity College Dublin