Several U.S. hospitals have stopped using desflurane, a common anesthetic, due to its significant environmental impact as a climate super pollutant. The move comes as the European Union implemented a near-total ban on the drug, restricting its use to only medically necessary cases starting January 1.

Desflurane, used in operating rooms worldwide, is more than 7,000 times more effective at warming the planet than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, based on a pound-for-pound comparison. While curbing its use won't single-handedly solve climate change, experts emphasize that emissions from the drug contribute significantly to global warming.

Approximately 1,000 tons of desflurane are released from hospitals and healthcare facilities globally each year. These emissions have a near-term climate impact equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from roughly 1.6 million cars.

The decision to phase out desflurane reflects a growing awareness within the medical community about the environmental consequences of anesthetic gases. While desflurane offers certain clinical advantages, such as rapid induction and recovery, alternative anesthetics with lower global warming potentials are available.

Jodi Sherman, a leading voice in sustainable healthcare, has advocated for the reduction of desflurane use.