Comparing Paper and Digital Patient Information Leaflets: An LCA Example
As the pharmaceutical industry explores ways to reduce environmental impact without compromising patient safety or access to information, digital solutions are gaining momentum. One such solution is the shift from traditional paper patient information leaflets (PILs) to digital e-leaflets, also known as electronic product information (ePI).
In May 2025, Long Trail Sustainability completed a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparing the environmental impacts of paper patient information leaflets with their digital counterparts viewed on a smartphone. The study found that e-leaflets have significantly lower environmental impacts than paper leaflets, highlighting their potential as a more sustainable option at scale.
Patient information leaflets are the paper inserts included in medication packaging, providing essential details such as drug interactions, side effects, and storage requirements. The LCA compared a standard paper PIL with an e-leaflet (ePI) accessed on a smartphone, reflecting real-world patient use. Data for the assessment was sourced from Takeda and other global pharmaceutical companies, as well as primary literature and reputable secondary sources.
This post shares a high-level overview of the assessment and its outcomes. For readers interested in the full methodology, assumptions, and impact results, the complete white paper is available for download. Even more methodology details can be found within DATASMART 2026 process documentation; Check out the below.
Download the full whitepaper here
From LCA Study to Practical Tools in DATASMART 2026
While the original paper leaflet model was developed using European assumptions, it has since been updated to incorporate U.S. electricity grids and transportation data, making the analysis more representative of North American conditions.
Beyond comparing paper and digital formats, this study also enabled Long Trail Sustainability to expand the life cycle data available to practitioners. As a result of this work, three new life cycle inventory (LCI) processes are now available to LTS customers in the DATASMART database:
- Paper Leaflet / US S
- e-Leaflet viewed on smartphone / US S
- e-Leaflet viewed on smartphone (reduced view time) / US S
These datasets allow practitioners to make science-backed decisions when choosing between printing or distributing information via smartphone/computer, supporting more informed sustainability decisions across pharmaceutical products, packaging systems, and beyond.
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This project serves as a practical LCA example, demonstrating how comparative assessments can inform digital transformation while also generating reusable life cycle data. Detailed system boundaries, modeling assumptions, and full impact results are documented in the white paper.
Download the white paper to explore the full LCA and see how these datasets were developed and applied.
