Prozac, the anti-depression drug, found in Britain's drinking water!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Stay calm everyone, there's Prozac in the drinking water

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1278793,00.html

Mark Townsend

Sunday August 8, 2004

The Observer

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.

[Guest guest]

Stay calm everyone, there's Prozac in the drinking water

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1278793,00.html

Mark Townsend

Sunday August 8, 2004

The Observer

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.

[Guest guest]

Stay calm everyone, there's Prozac in the drinking water

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1278793,00.html

Mark Townsend

Sunday August 8, 2004

The Observer

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.

[Guest guest]

Stay calm everyone, there's Prozac in the drinking water

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1278793,00.html

Mark Townsend

Sunday August 8, 2004

The Observer

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.