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Home > Archive > Hepatitis disease > August 2004 > Prozac, neat or on the rocks?
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Prozac, neat or on the rocks?
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| (Sure to make the conspiracy theorists writhe with joy and bottled
water futures soar...)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/...1278793,00.html
It should make us happy, but environmentalists are deeply alarmed:
Prozac, the anti-depression drug, is being taken in such large
quantities that it can now be found in Britain's drinking water.
Environmentalists are calling for an urgent investigation into the
revelations, describing the build-up of the antidepressant as 'hidden
mass medication'. The Environment Agency has revealed that Prozac is
building up both in river systems and groundwater used for drinking
supplies.
The government's chief environment watchdog recently held a series of
meetings with the pharmaceutical industry to discuss any repercussions
for human health or the ecosystem.
The discovery raises fresh fears that GPs are overprescribing Prozac,
Britain's antidepressant of choice. In the decade up to 2001, overall
prescriptions of antidepressants rose from nine million to 24 million
a year.
A recent report by the Environment Agency concluded Prozac could be
potentially toxic in the water table and said the drug was a
'potential concern'.
However, the precise quantity of Prozac in the nation's water supplies
remains unknown. The government's Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI)
said Prozac was likely to be found in a considerably 'watered down'
form that was unlikely to pose a health risk.
Dr Andy Croxford, the Environment's Agency's policy manager for
pesticides, told The Observer: 'We need to determine the effects of
this low-level, almost continuous discharge.'
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat's environment spokesman, said the
revelations exposed a failing by the government on an important public
health issue. He added that the public should be told if they were
inadvertently taking drugs like Prozac.
'This looks like a case of hidden mass medication upon the
unsuspecting public,' Baker said. 'It is alarming that there is no
monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues in our
drinking water.'
Experts say that Prozac finds its way into rivers and water systems
from treated sewage water. Some believe the drugs could affect their
reproductive ability.
European studies have also expressed disquiet over the impact of
pharmaceuticals building up in the environment, warning that an effect
on wildlife and human health 'cannot be excluded'.
'It is extremely unlikely that there is a risk, as such drugs are
excreted in very low concentrations,' a DWI spokesman said. 'Advanced
treatment processes installed for pesticide removal are effective in
removing drug residues,' he added.
End of Article
___________________________________________________________________________
"Jesus! We need more balloons. I want all balloons to go, goddammit...
What the f**k are you guys doing up there? We want more balloons
coming down, more balloons. More balloons. More balloons!"
Don Mischer
___________________________________________________________________________
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| Julie 2004-08-10, 10:26 pm |
| This is the funniest thing I've read all day! Free Prozac is just what you
need if you find yourself trapped on an island whose primary weather report
starts with "fog" most days.
And the comment that "the precise quantity of Prozac in the nation's water
supplies
remains unknown," totally cracks me up!
Humor kills the dragon,
Julie
"jen" <jen2gone@cs.com> wrote in message
news:bc5d9065.0408100525.610bb2b@posting.google.com...
> (Sure to make the conspiracy theorists writhe with joy and bottled
> water futures soar...)
>
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/...1278793,00.html
>
> It should make us happy, but environmentalists are deeply alarmed:
> Prozac, the anti-depression drug, is being taken in such large
> quantities that it can now be found in Britain's drinking water.
>
> Environmentalists are calling for an urgent investigation into the
> revelations, describing the build-up of the antidepressant as 'hidden
> mass medication'. The Environment Agency has revealed that Prozac is
> building up both in river systems and groundwater used for drinking
> supplies.
>
> The government's chief environment watchdog recently held a series of
> meetings with the pharmaceutical industry to discuss any repercussions
> for human health or the ecosystem.
>
> The discovery raises fresh fears that GPs are overprescribing Prozac,
> Britain's antidepressant of choice. In the decade up to 2001, overall
> prescriptions of antidepressants rose from nine million to 24 million
> a year.
>
> A recent report by the Environment Agency concluded Prozac could be
> potentially toxic in the water table and said the drug was a
> 'potential concern'.
>
> However, the precise quantity of Prozac in the nation's water supplies
> remains unknown. The government's Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI)
> said Prozac was likely to be found in a considerably 'watered down'
> form that was unlikely to pose a health risk.
>
> Dr Andy Croxford, the Environment's Agency's policy manager for
> pesticides, told The Observer: 'We need to determine the effects of
> this low-level, almost continuous discharge.'
>
> Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat's environment spokesman, said the
> revelations exposed a failing by the government on an important public
> health issue. He added that the public should be told if they were
> inadvertently taking drugs like Prozac.
>
> 'This looks like a case of hidden mass medication upon the
> unsuspecting public,' Baker said. 'It is alarming that there is no
> monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues in our
> drinking water.'
>
> Experts say that Prozac finds its way into rivers and water systems
> from treated sewage water. Some believe the drugs could affect their
> reproductive ability.
>
> European studies have also expressed disquiet over the impact of
> pharmaceuticals building up in the environment, warning that an effect
> on wildlife and human health 'cannot be excluded'.
>
> 'It is extremely unlikely that there is a risk, as such drugs are
> excreted in very low concentrations,' a DWI spokesman said. 'Advanced
> treatment processes installed for pesticide removal are effective in
> removing drug residues,' he added.
>
>
> End of Article
>
>
>
___________________________________________________________________________
>
> "Jesus! We need more balloons. I want all balloons to go, goddammit...
> What the f**k are you guys doing up there? We want more balloons
> coming down, more balloons. More balloons. More balloons!"
> Don Mischer
>
___________________________________________________________________________
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