October 21st, 2010 by RamonaBatesMD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Health Tips, News, Research
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This year’s topic for Blog Action Day [was] water. Many of us take clean water for granted, but even in the United States we are finding more and more that our drinking water is contaminated with prescription drugs. Dry years put our water reservoirs at risk and often result in mandatory restrictions on water use.
I am guilty of taking water for granted. I do try to use a full load when washing my clothes. I do turn off the water while brushing my teeth. I don’t water my lawn regularly. But I am still guilt of taking it for granted. I expect clean water to be there for me to drink and use for bathing.
Clean water is not the norm for many in the world. Nearly one billion people lack basic access to safe drinking water. That’s nearly 1 out of every 8 of us. Organizations like CharityWater.org are trying to bring clean wells to areas in Africa that lack clean water.
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*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
April 1st, 2010 by RamonaBatesMD in Better Health Network, Health Tips, News, Opinion, Research
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I have written two posts in the past on proper disposal of unused medications, and I have always been mindful of the medicines as a source of environmental water pollution. This past week the American Chemical Society reminded (head-slapped me) that topical medications are a source of environmental water pollution from their active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Yes, the simple act of bathing washes hormones, antibiotics, and other pharmaceuticals down the drain into the water supply.
Ilene Ruhoy, M.D., Ph.D. and colleague Christian Daughton, Ph.D. looked at potential alternative routes for the entry into the environment by way of bathing, showering, and laundering. These routes may be important for certain APIs found in medications that are applied topically to the skin — creams, lotions, ointments, gels, and skin patches. These APIs include steroids (such as cortisone and testosterone), acne medicine, antimicrobials, narcotics, and other substances. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*