Meeting report: pharmaceuticals in water-an interdisciplinary approach to a public health challenge

The presence of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments and in drinking water has prompted significant public interest regarding potential adverse ecological effects and risks to human health.

The Environmental Health Summit held in North Carolina, 10-11 November 2008, explored the issues associated with the presence and relative risk of trace levels of pharmaceuticals in water. More than 150 participants from government organizations and institutions, academia, industry, water utilities, and public interest groups participated in discussions aimed at evaluating the current knowledge on this issue and at identifying research gaps and innovative solution-oriented recommendations.

We present different aspects related to the subject that were discussed at the summit, including the source, fate, and transport of pharmaceuticals, their exposure effects and potential risks to human and ecosystems, and the best management practices to address these issues. Recommendations placed emphasis on research needs as well as education, communication, prevention, and intervention programs, and other public health solutions and actions.

Despite rising concerns about the presence of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water, little evidence is currently available that associates these chemicals with adverse human health risks. In order to prioritize which pharmaceutical chemicals could potentially pose the highest risk to consumers and the environment, the summit participants concluded that more studies are needed to generate meaningful and accurate data.