Pharmaceutical Waste Management for Sustainable Healthcare: Perspectives, Practices, and Perceived Barriers of Community Pharmacists in Saudi Arabia

Background: Pharmaceutical waste presents significant economic and environmental challenges, necessitating systemic interventions for sustainable healthcare. Community pharmacists are pivotal in mitigating this waste through optimized dispensing, patient education, and facilitating safe disposal. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the perceptions, practices and perceived barriers of community pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. Data regarding barriers and mitigation strategies were collected using a five-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 275 pharmacists participated, with an average age of 33.86 ± 7.46 years. Pharmacists showed strong understanding of the economic impact of medication waste, with an average score of 4.41 ± 0.85. The lowest score, 2.80 ± 1.25, reflected poor public awareness about proper disposal practices. The most identified source of waste was the discarding of unopened medication packages, scoring 3.80 ± 1.05. The top barrier was the lack of national guidelines, with a score of 3.82 ± 1.01. Unified patient records and e-prescribing were viewed as the most effective strategies, scoring 4.17 ± 0.94. Practice gaps were clear, as 27.64% of pharmacies did not provide any disposal service. Conclusions: Saudi community pharmacists demonstrate high readiness but are hindered by logistical gaps and fragmented frameworks. Achieving sustainable pharmaceutical stewardship requires standardized national guidelines, formalized take-back pathways, and the expansion of digital tools like Wasfaty to align clinical practice with Saudi Vision 2030 sustainability goals.