Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

After an intense week of discussion and deliberations, the International Conference on Chemical Management -ICCM4- under the Strategic Approach for the International Management of Chemicals -SAICM declare by CONSENSUS that chemicals of pharmaceutical origin present and persistent in the environment are a a new and emerging issue of concern.

ISDE presented this issue at the Open Ended Working Group of SAICM on 2011 and since then have been working to make this important issue visible and comprensible for countries and different stakeholders.

EPPP is an emerging problem and consequences on health are not yet well defined. The current scenario of pollution, by example of surface water with this kind of chemicals from pharmaceutical, is not well known either but the scientific evidence is strong and increasing fast enough to call the attention of all sectors and invite them to work together.

SAICM ICCM4 invited the different sectors to join effort to work and develop a Global Plan of Work to tackle this problem.

From now on, medical doctors and health professionals in general have a new commitment and is expected to take active part and promote actions among colleagues, Public Health authorities as well as inform patients on the best practices.