PFAROS: Minimize the presence of PFAS in healthcare

PFAROS is a European initiative aimed at accelerating the transition away from PFAS substances in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. In line with the EU’s public health, environmental, and industrial policy objectives, PFAROS is developing safe, scalable, and regulatory-compliant alternatives, ensuring that innovation in healthcare goes hand in hand with sustainability.

PFAROS’s mission is to replace PFAS in medical and pharmaceutical applications through an interdisciplinary approach that combines validated alternatives, advanced degradation and waste management technologies, and data science to support well-informed replacement measures and policy initiatives.

At the heart of PFAROS is a policy-based, AI-driven data tool that maps the use of PFAS, identifies viable alternatives, and integrates data on life cycle, exposure, and toxicology—enabling evidence-based policy and regulatory decisions. Combined with broad stakeholder engagement and the integration of social sciences, the project ensures a fair and well-informed transition away from PFAS.

PFAROS will ultimately pave the way for a PFAS-free future for Europe’s healthcare systems by:

   - Develop an integrated testing and evaluation framework to implement the SSbD method for PFAS replacement;

   - Provide validated, industry-ready PFAS alternatives to ensure rapid adoption;

   - Enable data-driven decision-making through an AI-powered PFAROS data tool tailored to support the needs of government agencies;

 - Ensure widespread adoption and promote cross-sectoral collaboration with industry, regulatory authorities, academia, and civil society;

   - Position the EU as a global leader in sustainable chemicals policy and innovation in healthcare.