Prescription drugs in the groundwater?
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?1859
And that’s not all: “A lot of prescription drugs forpain have serious side effects,” says Mary BethWatkins, director of research and development forBotanical Laboratories, a Seattle-area supplementmanufacturer. “They don’t allow you to drive a car andthey cause drowsiness.” And if used on a long-termbasis, painkillers can cause kidney and liver damage.Certain arthritis drugs, such as the non-steroidalanti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), also cause ulcers. New research shows many of these powerfulpharmaceuticals also cause problems for theenvironment. When they are flushed down the toilet,they dissolve into microscopic particles. Fish andwildlife living in streams polluted by these compoundscan develop health problems. So can human beings whodrink tap water from municipal water plants that donot yet screen out the particles. Given those risks, it makes sense to look for naturalalternatives.
My comment:
1. Way back in March of 2002, the USGS did publish a national reconnaissance of "Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000" and other research regarding pharmaceutical and personal care pollutants (PPCPs) has been done or reported. Specific or overall effect of these contaminants on human or environmental health is yet unknown.
2. I found nothing in the literature to substantiate these statements: "New research shows many of these powerful pharmaceuticals also cause problems for the environment [as a pollutant]." "Fish and wildlife living in streams polluted by these compounds can develop health problems." "So can human beings who drink tap water from municipal water plants that do not yet screen out the particles."
3. It seems an obviously HUGE stretch to use the data as strong justification to support the use of "natural alternatives" because (a.) an impact on overall contamination by PPCP's does not seem likely to occur even if all medications with a natural alternative were substituted; (b.) it's not reported whether the "natural alternative" won't likewise have any similar direct or indirect environmental impact as the pharmaceutical had; (c.) there is no clear logic that using natural alternatives better protects the environment; and most importantly, (d.) the USGS report found that the most frequently detected PPCP compounds were coprostanol (fecal steroid), cholesterol (plant and animal steroid), N,N-diethyltoluamide (DEET insect repellant), caffeine (stimulant), triclosan (antimicrobial disinfectant), tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (fire retardant), and 4-nonylphenol (nonionic detergent metabolite). The most predominant medications that made the list were Warfarin, antidepressants, and blood-pressure medicine. None of these have a listed natural alternative substitute.
My advice:
1. Filter or drink bottled water if you are concerned about the tap water in your area (BTW, organics and heavy metals in tap water are likely a much greater risk to health than traces of pharmeceuticals.)
2. Use medications wisely.
And that’s not all: “A lot of prescription drugs forpain have serious side effects,” says Mary BethWatkins, director of research and development forBotanical Laboratories, a Seattle-area supplementmanufacturer. “They don’t allow you to drive a car andthey cause drowsiness.” And if used on a long-termbasis, painkillers can cause kidney and liver damage.Certain arthritis drugs, such as the non-steroidalanti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), also cause ulcers. New research shows many of these powerfulpharmaceuticals also cause problems for theenvironment. When they are flushed down the toilet,they dissolve into microscopic particles. Fish andwildlife living in streams polluted by these compoundscan develop health problems. So can human beings whodrink tap water from municipal water plants that donot yet screen out the particles. Given those risks, it makes sense to look for naturalalternatives.
My comment:
1. Way back in March of 2002, the USGS did publish a national reconnaissance of "Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000" and other research regarding pharmaceutical and personal care pollutants (PPCPs) has been done or reported. Specific or overall effect of these contaminants on human or environmental health is yet unknown.
2. I found nothing in the literature to substantiate these statements: "New research shows many of these powerful pharmaceuticals also cause problems for the environment [as a pollutant]." "Fish and wildlife living in streams polluted by these compounds can develop health problems." "So can human beings who drink tap water from municipal water plants that do not yet screen out the particles."
3. It seems an obviously HUGE stretch to use the data as strong justification to support the use of "natural alternatives" because (a.) an impact on overall contamination by PPCP's does not seem likely to occur even if all medications with a natural alternative were substituted; (b.) it's not reported whether the "natural alternative" won't likewise have any similar direct or indirect environmental impact as the pharmaceutical had; (c.) there is no clear logic that using natural alternatives better protects the environment; and most importantly, (d.) the USGS report found that the most frequently detected PPCP compounds were coprostanol (fecal steroid), cholesterol (plant and animal steroid), N,N-diethyltoluamide (DEET insect repellant), caffeine (stimulant), triclosan (antimicrobial disinfectant), tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (fire retardant), and 4-nonylphenol (nonionic detergent metabolite). The most predominant medications that made the list were Warfarin, antidepressants, and blood-pressure medicine. None of these have a listed natural alternative substitute.
My advice:
1. Filter or drink bottled water if you are concerned about the tap water in your area (BTW, organics and heavy metals in tap water are likely a much greater risk to health than traces of pharmeceuticals.)
2. Use medications wisely.
posted by nawledge at
6:14 PM
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