Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: What are the Big Questions?

BOXAL, A.B.A.; MURRAY, A.R.; BROOKS, B.W.; CALDWELL, D.J.; CHOI, K.; HICKMANN, S.; INNES, E.; OSTAPYK, K; STAVELEY, J.P.; VERSLYCKE, T.; ANKLEY, G.T.; BEAZLEY, K.F.; BELANGER, S.E.; BERNINGER, J.P.; CARRIQUIRIBORDE, P.; COORS, A; DELEO, P.C.; DYER, S.D.; ERICSON, J.F.; GAGNÉ, F; GIESY, J.P.; GOUIN, T.; HALLSTROM, L.; KARLSSON, M.V.; LARSSON, J.D.G.; LAZORCHAK, J.M.; MASTROCCO, F.; MCLAUGHLIN, A.; MCMASTER, M.E.; MEYERHOFF, R.D.; MOORE, R.; PARROTT, J.L.; SNAPE, J.R.; MURRAY-SMITH, R.; SERVOS, M.R.; SIBLEY, P.K.; OLIVER STRAUB, J.; SZABO, N.D.; TOPP, E.; TETREAULT, G.R.; TRUDEAU, V.L.; VAN DER KRAAK, G.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES

US DEPT HEALTH HUMAN SCIENCES PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE

Lugar: Research Triangle Park, NC. USA; Año: 2012 p. 1 - 34

0091-6765

OBJECTIVE: Over the past 10-15 years, a substantial amount of work has been done by the scientific, regulatory and business communities to elucidate the effects and risks of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment. This review was undertaken to identify key outstanding issues regarding the effects on human and ecological health in order that future resources will be focused on the most important areas. DATA SOURCES: The ‘key question’ approach was used to identify the principle issues that need to be addressed in order to better understand and manage the risks of PPCPs in the environment. Initially, questions were solicited from academic, government and business communities around the globe. A list of 101 was then discussed at an international expert workshop and a top 20 list was developed. Following the workshop, workshop attendees ranked the 20 questions by importance. DATA SYNTHESIS: The top 20 priority questions fell into seven categories: 1) prioritisation of substances for assessment; 2) pathways of exposure; 3) bioavailability and uptake; 4)effects characterization; 5) risk and relative risk; 6) antibiotic resistance; and 7) risk management. CONCLUSIONS: A large body of information is now available on PPCPs in the environment. This exercise has prioritized the most critical questions to aid in development of future research programs on the topic.