U.S. GI Societies Announce Strategic Plan to Promote and Support Sustainable Digestive Health Care
Douglas K. Rex, MD, MASGE, reviewing Pohl H, et al. Gastrointest Endosc 2022 Oct 18.
As a subspecialty, GI medicine is typically ranked in the top 3 for its high carbon footprint and production of plastic waste. The 4 U.S. GI societies (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases) have announced a joint strategic plan to lessen the environmental impact of digestive health care practice.
Strategic goals and objectives of the plan include recommending sustainable clinical practices that reduce waste and carbon emissions, fostering education and research on sustainable practices, improving the environmental impact of society activities, and enhancing intersociety efforts to achieve goals. Other goals include engaging with GI and hepatology industry and pharmaceutical companies to provide information on the carbon footprint implications of their products, identifying options for recycling and improving sustainability, and developing environmental advocacy.
COMMENTThe 4 GI societies have organized a multisociety task force to make recommendations on environmental sustainability in GI practices. Hopefully, gastroenterologists will engage wherever possible as this effort moves forward.
Note to readers: At the time we reviewed this paper, its publisher noted that it was not in final form and that subsequent changes might be made.
CITATION(S)
Pohl H, de Latour R, Reuben A, et al. GI multisociety strategic plan on environmental sustainability. Gastrointest Endosc 2022 Oct 18. (Epub ahead of print) (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2022.08.017)
