As research organizations evaluate their environmental footprint, the 2025 Carbon Impact of Biotech and Pharma report from My Green Lab highlights a growing trend: life sciences companies are investing in sustainable clinical trials that reduce emissions across study design, materials use, logistics, and laboratory support functions. With clinical trial networks spanning multiple countries and involving thousands of patient interactions, the opportunity to lower clinical trial emissions is broad—and increasingly strategic.
Industry commitments signal rapid adoption of sustainable clinical trials
Several major pharmaceutical companies participating in My Green Lab and Sustainable Markets Initiative programs reported new or expanded efforts to integrate sustainable clinical trial practices. These efforts include evaluating the carbon intensity of trial materials, redesigning participant visit schedules to reduce travel, and identifying lower-emission alternatives for sample handling, cold-chain transport, and laboratory analysis.
The report notes that emissions reductions can be achieved not only through operational changes but also through decisions made early in the protocol-development process. Reassessing the number of site visits, optimizing digital monitoring tools, and reducing unnecessary sample collections can significantly influence clinical trial emissions without compromising scientific integrity.
Sourcing and the lab supply chain play a critical role
While much of the public discussion focuses on participant travel or site logistics, the report underscores the importance of the lab supply chain in achieving more sustainable clinical trials. Laboratory consumables, assay kits, transport materials, and diagnostic components all contribute to trial-related emissions, particularly when products are sourced from regions with high energy intensity.
Companies that have already begun collecting product-level emissions data report improved visibility into the carbon impacts of:
- Sample collection materials
- Transport and storage consumables
- Diagnostic assay components
- Cold-chain packaging and equipment
This level of transparency allows teams overseeing sustainable clinical trials to make more informed sourcing choices and reduce reliance on materials with high embedded emissions.
Digital and decentralized models support emissions reductions
The report also highlights the environmental benefits of decentralized trial models. Increased use of remote monitoring tools, patient-facing apps, and home-based sample collection can significantly reduce participant travel—one of the largest contributors to clinical trial emissions. Digital platforms also support more efficient data collection and reduce the volume of physical materials traditionally required for in-person visits.
For laboratory teams, these models may mean shifting sample-processing volumes or adjusting logistics workflows as trial designs change. However, they also create opportunities to streamline operations and reduce both costs and emissions.
How laboratories support the shift toward sustainable clinical trials
Laboratories play a central role in sustainable clinical trials by supporting diagnostics, biospecimen handling, data generation, and method development. As sustainability expectations rise across the industry, laboratory leaders may see new requirements related to:
- Emissions reporting for trial-related laboratory work
- Procurement preferences tied to lower-emission consumables
- Greater demand for product-level carbon data
- Updated expectations for shipping, storage, and cold-chain procedures
These shifts are part of a broader industry movement to integrate sustainable clinical trials into standard research practice. For lab managers, understanding these trends will be essential to align operations with evolving sponsor expectations and contribute to more environmentally responsible trial networks.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
