Scotland has banned use of desflurane, an anaesthetic which poses a tremendous threat to the environment. In doing so, Scotland has become first country in the world to take such a step. According to UK’s National Health Service (NHS), desflurane has a global warming potential 2500 times than that of Carbon dioxide. Desflurane is commonly used to put a patient to sleep before a surgery.
Scottish ban on desflurane would cut emissions equal to powering 1700 homes a year.
Many hospitals in other parts of UK have started cutting down use of desflurane. BBC reported that 40 hospital trusts in England and a number of hospitals in Wales have stopped using desflurane.
NHS England is planning to introduce a ban on use of desflurane. Once in place, it would cut emissions equal to powering 11,000 homes every year.
It is expected that other countries, including those in Europe would impose ban on the use of desflurane.
“I realised in 2017 that the amount of desflurane we used in a typical day’s work as an anaesthetist resulted in emissions equivalent to me driving 670 miles that day,” said Dr Kenneth Barker, anaesthetist and clinical lead for Scotland’s national green theatres programme. He was quoted by BBC.
“I decided to stop using it straight away and many fellow anaesthetists have got on board.
“When you are faced with something as obvious as this and with the significance it has to the environment – I am very glad we have got to this stage.”
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