drug throwaway where does it go,how much is wasted

[undergroundpanther]

I saw this today:
CBS) It's a ritual at nursing homes across the country that few outsiders ever witness.

Brand new medicine left over from patients whose prescriptions changed, who were discharged or passed away, is methodically punched out of unopened blister packs and, unbelievably, flushed down the toilet, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/11/eveningnews/main4010772.shtml

People knew this was happening for a long time but they just obey their boss..Even a nurse who saw patients in the ER suffering for the lack of the very medications they could not afford,that she flushed away.


http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/pipermail/pharmwaste/2005-July/000155.html
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/health/sns-ap-prescription-drugs,0,2080430.story
What led me to think about this:

(AP) -- A vast array of pharmaceuticals -- including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones -- have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/03/10/pharma.water1.ap/
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/blog/2008/03/drugs_in_drinking_water.html
Here’s the good news—Americans are finally getting free pharmaceutical grade drugs. Now here’s the bad new—we don’t get to pick which drugs. At least 41 millions Americans are ingesting daily a potentially dangerous cocktail of antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones every time they have a glass of water, shows an Associated Press investigation.

While researchers do not know what risks result from decades of persistent exposure to random combinations of pharmaceuticals, they know it can’t be good. Recent studies have found that these low-level combos can have an alarming effect on human cells and wildlife.
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/03/prescription-dr.html
And this: and the thing that gets me is why?

Trashing public water supplies is good for the water BUSINESS.
http://www.indiaresource.org/issues/water/2003/trashingwater.html
More shock doctrine..capitalism designed to destroy and sell the fix..
So regulations for public health never seem to fix the problem on PURPOSE.

Anything for PROFIT!! Because if you cannot drink the tap,can't drink from the rivers or lakes ..where can you get safe water to drink? If it is all polluted ?
http://www.indiegogo.com/project/view/120

Why you'll have to BUY it from the fucking Water profiteers.
And their filtration system..promises...yeah right.
In Johannesburg you have to pre pay for water..It's METERED.Like a long distance phone card..
http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2003-08/04bond.cfm.
http://www.alternet.org/water/81301/?page=entire

It's not just in places like India it's already started in Florida.

http://www.whoseflorida.com/water_man.htm

[pitohui]

1. i wasn't charged for water in j'burg

not saying i think people should put old medicine in water, of course they shouldn't, just saying one of your points is not ringing true to me

i was there in 2007, so my visit was quite recent

if one part of a story seems exaggerated then people wonder about the rest

[ret5hd]

3. So the water utility in j'burg operates for free???

i don't think so.

[ret5hd]

2. I saw that and was wondering why they can't be sued for polluting the water...

Hell, if any other industry was indiscriminately throwing chemicals into the water (completely unashamedly in front of television cameras) i think someone would be going to jail TOMORROW!

[jean627]

4. I saw it in my own home.

"Brand new medicine left over from patients whose prescriptions changed, who were discharged or passed away, is methodically punched out of unopened blister packs and, unbelievably, flushed down the toilet, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports"


When my husband passed away. I couldn't believe it. I asked why they didn't keep the stuff that was unopened. She said they couldn't.

[undergroundpanther]

5. I wish

The people who can't afford it but need it could have it instead if it going into the water supply. It's bad enough everyone on medicines pees out part of the drugs that don't get absorbed into the body..now this....

Sharing those leftover drugs wouldn't be PROFITABLE enough.It's UNTHINKABLE to greedy rich people to just SHARE the unused drugs with people who need it but can't afford to BUY it...you know Capitalism abhors sharing..Even if it's going to be thrown away anyway.That's one of the many reasons profit is the root of so much evil.