Not yet recruitingNot ApplicableInterventional

Testing a sustainable packaging system to reduce pharmaceutical waste and support a net-zero NHS

Every year, a lot of NHS medicine goes to waste. This can happen for many reasons. Sometimes treatment plans might change. Sometimes patients get side-effects. Sadly, some patients die before they finish their medicine. Even if medicines are still in date and unopened, UK rules say they must bethrown away. This is because we can’t tell if they’ve been stored safely and are still okay to use. Wasting medicines is harmful in many ways. Making and moving medicines creates more pollution than all the cars on the road. When unused medicines are thrown away, they can leak into soil and water, damaging the environment. It’s also expensive. This waste costs the NHS over £300 million every year. Also, when we throw away medicines that could have been reused, it can cause medicine shortages, making it harder for others to get the treatments they need. This project will test a new medicine bag called the PharmaBag which can tell if a medicine has been opened or kept too hot or too cold. If an unopened medicine is returned in a PharmaBag, and it has been stored safely, it might be possible to safely reuse it. This could be especially important for expensive cancer medicines, which are often left unused due to side effects or treatment changes. We will give patients who are prescribed oral anti-cancer medicines their normal prescription inside the PharmaBags. This will help us see how well the bags work in real NHS settings. We’ll measure how many medicines are returned, what condition they’re in, and whether they could have been safely reused. We’ll use this information to calculate how this system could reduce waste, save NHS money, and help the environment. In future, this new system could help stop medicine waste across the NHS. If it works well and is safe, it could even help change national rules, so that safe, unused medicines don’t have to be thrown away. This could save money, help the environment, and help patients get the care they need.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Not Applicable

Sponsor

Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Enrolment target

1,000

Start

01 Aug 2026

Estimated completion

29 Jan 2027

Patients receiving oral anti-cancer medicines

What is this study about?

Imagine how much medicine goes unused in the NHS every year. Sometimes treatment plans change, side effects occur, or sadly, some patients pass away before finishing their medication. Even if these medicines are unopened and not expired, current rules often say they must be thrown away because we can't be sure they've been stored safely.

This waste is a big problem. Making and transporting medicines uses a lot of energy and creates pollution. When medicines are thrown away, they can pollute our soil and water, harming the environment. It also costs the NHS over £300 million each year. Plus, when medicines are wasted that could have been reused, it can lead to shortages, making it harder for others to get the care they need.

This study is trying out a new solution: a special medicine bag called the PharmaBag. This bag can tell if a medicine has been opened or if it's been kept too hot or too cold. The idea is that if an unopened medicine is returned in a PharmaBag and has been stored correctly, it might be safe enough to be reused. This could be particularly helpful for expensive cancer medicines that are often wasted. The study hopes to show how this system could reduce waste, save money for the NHS, and be better for the environment.

Key takeaways

This study tests a new 'PharmaBag' for cancer medicines.
It aims to reduce medicine waste, save NHS money, and help the environment.
Participation will not change your current cancer treatment.
The PharmaBag helps check if unused medicines could be safely reused.
There are no extra appointments required for taking part.
The study is low risk and funded by the NIHR.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for adults aged 18 or older who have been diagnosed with cancer. You must be receiving your oral anti-cancer medicines – these are cancer medicines you take by mouth – from doctors at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in the UK.

It's important that you are able to understand what's involved in the study and give your permission to take part. This is called 'informed consent'. If you have other serious health conditions that the study team thinks might make it difficult for you to complete the study or understand what you're agreeing to, then you might not be able to participate.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Do you have a cancer diagnosis?
Are you prescribed oral anti-cancer medicines (taken by mouth) at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre?
Are you able to generally understand information and agree to take part?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you won't need to change anything about your normal cancer treatment. You will simply receive your regular oral anti-cancer medicines in these new PharmaBags. This is the main part of your involvement. The study team will then measure how many medicines are returned in the PharmaBags, what condition they are in, and whether they could have been safely reused.

There are no extra clinic visits for this study. When you have unused medicines, you can return them either when you attend your usual clinic appointments or through the existing home delivery and collection service you already use. The study team will give you clear instructions, and they will be available to support you if you have any questions. The study itself will run from August 2026 to July 2027.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study is considered to have very low risk. Your medication will continue to be prescribed and given to you exactly as usual, and your medical care will not change. The PharmaBag is just an extra package to help keep your medicines safe so they could potentially be returned. The potential benefits are for the wider NHS and environment. If this new system works well and is proven safe, it could help reduce medicine waste across the country, save money for the NHS, and be better for the planet by reducing pollution. It might even influence national rules, allowing safe, unused medicines to be reused instead of thrown away, which could help more patients get the treatments they need. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without affecting your medical care.

Locations (6)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
City only
Wirral, England
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
Unverified
Liverpool, UK
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
Unverified
Aintree, UK
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
Unverified
Halton, UK
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
Unverified
Ormskirk, UK
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
Unverified
St Helens, UK

Common questions

What is the PharmaBag?

It's a special packaging for medicines that can tell if a medicine has been opened or stored incorrectly (too hot or too cold).

Will my medicine treatment change if I join?

No, your cancer medicine and treatment plan will stay exactly the same. The PharmaBag is just a new way of packaging your existing medicines.

What happens to the unused medicines?

The study will check if medicines returned in a PharmaBag are safe to possibly be reused, to see if they could avoid being thrown away.

Who is paying for this study?

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in the UK.

Do I have to go to extra appointments?

No, you'll return any unused medicines during your regular clinic visits or through your usual home delivery and collection service.

How to find out more

James McCarron

james.mccarron3@nhs.net +44 01513188291 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.