Britain's drinking water contains unknown quantities of pharmaceuticals such as Prozac according to a report released today by Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary.
In his report Mr Baker concludes that:
Commenting, Norman Baker said:
"This looks like a case of hidden mass medication of the unsuspecting public and is potentially a very worrying health issue.
"The Government is quite simply not taking its responsibility to public health seriously. It is alarming that there is no monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues in our drinking water.
"There is also no evidence that filtration eliminates these contaminants from water and Ministers don't even know which water works are fitted with which filtering devices anyway.
"From start to finish this is a demonstration of staggering complacency from a 'don't know, don't care' Government. The public has a right to know what's in our water supplies and whether they are inadvertently taking drugs like Prozac."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
NORMAN BAKER REPORT ON PROZAC IN DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES: CONCLUSIONS August 2004
- for a copy of the full report, please contact the Lib Dem press office
1) The targeted monitoring survey undertaken by the Environment Agency, published in 2003, (R&D report P6-012/6, Targeted Monitoring Programme for Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment), which concerned itself with 12 pharmaceuticals, did not include Prozac (Fluoxetine). Ben Bradshaw said that "...no analytical method suitable for use on environmental samples existed and development of one would be difficult" [Parliamentary Questions 167861 - 28/4/04 and 167862 - 23/4/04].
2) At present therefore the levels of fluoxetine or nor-fluoxetine (its primary metabolite) residue in UK aquatic environments is unknown.
3) UK research has established that pharmaceutical residues can enter the aquatic environment via the sewage treatment system when they are excreted by people. The Environment Agency (in their 2003 report) identified 10 of the target 12 pharmaceuticals as present in sewage treatment work effluents and 8 in rivers receiving these effluents [Environment Agency R&D report P6-012/6, 2003, Targeted Monitoring Programme for Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment].
4) The same report found Prozac, although not a subject of the targeted monitoring was found to be BOTH toxic and persistent and "an additional substance that could be of potential concern" [Environment Agency R&D report P6-012/6, 2003, Targeted Monitoring Programme for Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment].
5) The potential for adverse environmental effect from these residues is accepted by the Environment Agency, who has called on the pharmaceutical industry to review its products in the light of the scientific literature and to demonstrate to the EA's confidence that these low level residues are unlikely to cause significant harm to the environment [Environment Agency: 'Human Pharmaceuticals Position Statement].
6) Although Fluoxetine was not part of the EA's 2003 study, the report acknowledged that as both sulfamethoxazole-acetate and its metabolite was found in UK surface water samples collected - other metabolites may be entering the aquatic environment. A fuller assessment of the threat posed to the aquatic environment from these compounds was recommended, particularly as it appeared that certain pharmaceutical compounds were not removed by the sewage treatment work process [Environment Agency R&D report P6-012/6, 2003, Targeted Monitoring Programme for Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment].
7) The EU commissioned 'Poseidon Project' states that "in the long run significant impacts on the environment and human health can not be excluded" [EU-Project Poseiden 'Assessment of Technologies for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Sewage and Drinking Water Facilities to Improve Indirect Potable water Reuse'; 1999 http://poseiden.bafg.de/the_project.htm].
8) Department of Health (DoH) statistics show that between 1991 - 2001 the number of prescriptions for anti depressants in the England has risen from 9m to 24m a year [Department of Health Website].
9) The Drinking Water Inspectorate Regulations do not specify limits for pharmaceutical residues in drinking water. Therefore, we must assume, they are not tested for when assessing water quality. The evidence on which the DWI base their confidence is that the technology of activated carbon filtration and ozonation is installed at many UK water works has been shown to be effective on pharmaceuticals. What the DWI appear unable to confirm is that such technology is installed at all UK water works and it is effective in removing potentially adverse (acute or chronic) levels of pharmaceutical residues, including fluoxetine [Drinking Water Inspectorate Consumer Information: 'Pharmaceutical Residues and Endocrine Disrupters in Water' 15th January 2002, http://www.dwi.gov.uk].
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