| Americans are prescribed millions of doses of | | | | may be excreted back into the environment, |
| prescription drugs every year. Livestock are | | | | unchanged. What kinds of drugs -- and to what |
| given millions more. But after the pill has | | | | extent -- are currently out there is anyone's |
| been swallowed or the injection taken, the | | | | guess. Padma Venkatraman, a postdoctoral |
| active components of the drugs do not become | | | | fellow at Johns Hopkins who is part of the |
| inert or completely absorbed by the body. Far | | | | research team, believes the drugs most likely |
| from disappearing, the drugs are excreted and | | | | to be found at "toxicologically significant |
| now, scientists are finding, prescription | | | | levels" include: Antidepressants |
| drugs are showing up in our ground water, | | | | Anti-convulsants Anti-cancer drugs |
| soil, waterways and even our drinking water. | | | | Anti-microbials "We're trying to make an |
| That's because our conventional sewage | | | | intelligent guess as to what's out there in |
| treatments may not be looking for drugs, and | | | | the environment and what's probably toxic," |
| certainly don't always remove them. Adding to | | | | Venkatraman said. Antibiotic-Resistant |
| the problem are prescription drugs that | | | | Bacteria on the Rise Just one problem |
| aren't used, then are flushed down the toilet | | | | stemming from pharmaceutical pollution is |
| or deposited in landfills -- ultimately | | | | antibiotic-resistant bacteria. When drugs are |
| ending up in the environment. This so-called | | | | excreted in waste, the compounds linger in |
| "pharmaceutical pollution" could have major | | | | the environment. In the case of livestock |
| implications on wildlife, agriculture and | | | | waste, the antibiotic-laced manure is spread |
| humans -- yet is only beginning to be | | | | directly onto farm crops as fertilizer. From |
| studied. "This is an important new research | | | | there it may run off into nearby streams. The |
| area," said A. Lynn Roberts, leader of a | | | | result is that bacteria is able to mutate |
| Johns Hopkins team that began a study to | | | | into strains that are resistant to the widely |
| determine the scope of pharmaceutical | | | | spread antibiotics, paving the way for |
| pollution in the United States. Roberts | | | | infections that cannot be easily cured. |
| continued: "Over the past few years, | | | | According to the Centers for Disease Control |
| scientists in Europe have found | | | | and Prevention, about 2 million people in |
| pharmaceuticals in natural waterways, sewage | | | | hospitals get infections each year, which |
| treatment effluents and even in drinking | | | | cause 90,000 deaths. Of these, more than 70 |
| water. Yet until this year [2003] there have | | | | percent of the bacteria that causes these |
| been virtually no scientific studies | | | | infections are resistant to at least one |
| examining this issue in the United States. | | | | common antibiotic that is typically used to |
| It's important that we begin to look at this | | | | treat them. Health Problems Remain a Mystery |
| because there are many ways in which | | | | "Little is known about the potential |
| pharmaceuticals in the environment could | | | | interactive effects" from complex mixtures of |
| produce undesirable effects on aquatic | | | | waste contaminants in the environment, |
| organisms or even humans." How Widespread is | | | | according to USGS. For instance, Roberts |
| the Problem? Current estimates are still | | | | pointed out that antidepressants work by |
| being gathered, but a study conducted in | | | | altering levels of serotonin. However, |
| 1999-2000 by the U.S. Geological Survey | | | | serotonin causes many aquatic creatures to |
| (USGS) found that most waterways contain at | | | | spawn. The result could be that prescription |
| least some antibiotics, steroids, synthetic | | | | drugs may alter breeding cycles in the wild. |
| hormones or other common drugs. Out of 139 | | | | Further, drugs can have major impacts on |
| streams in 30 states, they found: About 80 | | | | developing fetuses in humans. If small |
| percent contained trace amounts of | | | | amounts showed up in drinking water, it could |
| contaminants Half the streams contained | | | | cause birth defects or other problems. |
| seven or more chemical compounds One-third | | | | "Pharmaceuticals have high biological |
| of the streams contained 10 or more compounds | | | | activity," Roberts said. "We may be able to |
| One water sample contained 38 chemicals | | | | tolerate them for a short period of time, but |
| "We're not talking about rampant dumping," | | | | that doesn't mean they won't hurt us -- or |
| said one USGS survey official. "We're looking | | | | developing fetuses or aquatic organisms -- at |
| at the effect of normal existing usage for | | | | higher concentrations or over a long period |
| these different chemicals." Just how many | | | | of time." There is good news, and that is |
| drugs are we using currently? A lot. Here are | | | | that attention to this issue is growing, and |
| some statistics just for antibiotics (not | | | | so is the drive to find out just what types |
| including any other types of drugs): Humans | | | | of problems may be occurring. The USGS |
| consume 235 million doses of antibiotics each | | | | agrees, stating in their report that |
| year. Livestock and poultry producers | | | | "protecting the integrity of our water |
| administered more than 21 million pounds of | | | | resources is one of the most essential |
| antibiotics to animals in 2004 alone. When | | | | environmental issues of the 21st century. |
| a drug is taken, experts say up to 90 percent | | | | |