Knowledge, perception, and practices of ecopharmacovigilance among government and private medical students in Bangladesh

Given the rapid growth of the pharmaceutical industry and the increasing use of medication, ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) has become an effective approach for managing and reducing the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals. EPV addresses and explains the undesired environmental effects of pharmaceutical use. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, perceptions, and practices related to the disposal of unused and expired medications among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 3 months, from August to October 2024, at Armed Forces Medical College, Mugda Medical College and Hospital, and Shahabuddin Medical College in Dhaka. A total of 300 3rd- and 4th-year medical students from these medical colleges in Bangladesh completed a self-administered questionnaire. In this study, knowledge of EPV was found to be only 27%. Overall, medical students’ perceptions of environmental medication contamination and EPV were encouraging. Among those interviewed, 54.3% “strongly agreed” that leftover medications could have a negative impact on the environment. Despite knowledge of the environmental risks posed by pharmaceuticals, the common practice of storing medications at home until they expire and then discarding them persists. This highlights both a lack of knowledge and the absence of safe disposal procedures. Thus, greater efforts are needed to improve medical students’ knowledge of EPV. Respondents also expressed a preference for evidence-based and environmentally friendly methods for disposing of unwanted medications.