LONDON (Reuters) - Traces of the anti-depressant Prozac have been found in Britain's drinking water supply, setting off alarm bells with environmentalists concerned about potentially toxic effects.



The Observer newspaper said Sunday that a report by the government's environment watchdog found Prozac was building up in river systems and groundwater used for drinking supplies.


The exact quantity of Prozac in the drinking water was unknown, but the Environment Agency's report concluded Prozac could be potentially toxic in the water table.


Experts say that Prozac finds its way into rivers and water systems from treated sewage water, and some believe the drugs could affect reproductive ability.


A spokesman for Britain's Drinking Water Inspectorate said Prozac was likely to be found in a considerably watered down form that was unlikely to pose a health risk.


"It is extremely unlikely that there is a risk, as such drugs are excreted in very low concentrations," the spokesman said. "Advanced treatment processes installed for pesticide removal are effective in removing drug residues."


But environmentalists called for an urgent investigation into the findings.


Norman Baker, environment spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said it looked "like a case of hidden mass medication upon the unsuspecting public."


"It is alarming that there is no monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues in our drinking water," he told the Observer.


The Environment Agency has held a series of meetings with the pharmaceutical industry to discuss any repercussions for human health or the ecosystem, the Observer said.


Prescription of anti-depressants has surged in Britain. In the decade up to 2001, overall prescriptions of antidepressants rose from 9 million to 24 million a year, the paper said.




Article



Wow.

"I feel hopelessly depressed..."


"Here, drink some tap water."

Britons consume the anti-depressant drug Prozac in such large quatities that traces of it can now be found in the country's drinking water, The Observer newspaper reported today, citing health officials.

The Environment Agency had revealed that Prozac was building up both in river systems and groundwater used for drinking supplies, the newspaper said. 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, it said.

The drug found its way into the water supply from treated sewage water, the paper said.

However, the government's Drinking Water Inspectorate said Prozac was likely to be found in such a "watered down" form that it was unlikely to pose a health risk, The Observer reported.

According to the newspaper, in the decade up to 2001, "overall prescriptions of anti-depressants rose from nine million to 24 million a year".



www.theage.com.au


I didnt see the other post in back page news on this, mods can close this if they wish...

Happy British people holding hands.........

So that's where the British reputation for being reserved comes from..

How the hell does it get in there anyway?

If it works out like the rising hormone levels in the water deal we have in the states..Traces of it come out in urine. Sewage treatment can remove waste from the water but not things like hormones and steroids and such. So it's building up in the water table..

could be a good idea, it would save me taking my meds

Now all they need is something that cleans teeth put into the water

I believe this all comes down to them not winning the ashes against the aussies for over a decade and of course their weather wouldn`t exactly cheer them up!!!

Or it could just be that they used to have a huge empire..... and its getting less and less everyday

BTW they were talking about in the sewage system not the drinking water lol,

It was all over the news today.

This quote says your wrong.....

Norman Baker, environment spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said it looked "like a case of hidden mass medication upon the unsuspecting public."


"It is alarming that there is no monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues in our drinking water," he told the Observer.



The drug found its way into the water supply from treated sewage water, the paper said.

Erm no....


RAdio 1 news reports stated that the governtments top scientists asked the public no to get acrried away as only water from our sewage works were tested.

The scientist went on tot say that it would be immpossible to get onto our drinking water supply because most of these drugs wouldve broken down by that time.

I dont know how it workd in australia.....but the sewage system is seperate from our drinking water.

Teh obserevr must be mistaken

That thing? Its the reebok symbol....


Sewerage goes to a water treatment plant... which is eventually recycled into tap water......

*cough*A spokesman for Britain's Drinking Water Inspectorate said Prozac was likely to be found in a considerably watered down form that was unlikely to pose a health risk.

Its there, its just not worth getting carried away over...

Traces of the antidepressant Prozac can be found in the nation's drinking water, it has been revealed.
An Environment Agency report suggests so many people are taking the drug nowadays it is building up in rivers and groundwater.

A report in Sunday's Observer says the government's environment watchdog has discussed the impact for human health.

A spokesman for the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) said the Prozac found was most likely highly diluted.

'Alarming'

The newspaper says environmentalists are calling for an urgent investigation into the evidence.

It quotes the Liberal Democrats' environment spokesman, Norman Baker MP, as saying the picture emerging looked like "a case of hidden mass medication upon the unsuspecting public".

He says: "It is alarming that there is no monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues in our drinking water."

Experts say the anti-depression drug gets into the rivers and water system via treated sewage water.

Prescriptions increase

The DWI said the Prozac (known technically as fluoxetine) was unlikely to pose a health risk as it was so "watered down".

The Observer says the revelations raise new fears over how many prescriptions for the drug are given out by doctors.

In the decade leading up to 2001, the number of prescriptions for antidepressants went up from nine million per year to 24 million per year, says the paper.

The Environment Agency report concluded that the Prozac in the water table could be potentially toxic and said the drug was a "potential concern".

The exact amount of Prozac in the nation's drinking water is not known.



article

It's really not that surprising. Anti-depressants are being handed out all over North America without even a second thought. The majority taking these pills, shouldn't be.

I find a good screaming fit keeps my depression at bay... that and lots of coffee from Tim Horton's.

This could explain British humor...why they get it and no one else does

*dodges various objects thrown by Brits*

*throws random object at Cheat and hits him since he is not Brittish* I love the brittish, they rock, and I understand everything they say. Take that.

....and our language!

yes yes of course how could i forget, my two most favorite brittish things, the language and the union jack, i have a set of union jack boxers.

Did I ever say we weren't still in that empire? No... We wont be forever, its just till this generation get into power here.... And that day.... England still wont care about us...lol

BTW I am british blooded..... So I can pick if i wanna.....

wow, sounds like you got colonial issues, thats a different thread entirely. you can pick and i'll point out facts.

I know the facts already....... Like I know about our flag.... But i was joking about the symbol....

Not everything coming out of my fingers is serious...

or is it?

Its just that americans dont understand Irony lol.

The Office is the perfect example.

In the area that i live we have a lot of chalk in our water. but ive got to say, ive never tasted or smelt chlorine in the water.

and ricky gervais is in a league of his own in my opinion. his character, david brent is a complete wally, but you cant help but love him.

Ah that explains why not only do I have healthy teeth thanks to the fluoride in the water but feel happier when drinking a glass of orange cordial tee hee

That could be due to the e-numbers though lol

Ames