TY - JOUR

T1 - Systemic risk governance for pharmaceutical residues in drinking water

AU - Keil, Florian

AU - Bechmann, Gotthard

AU - Kümmerer, Klaus

AU - Schramm, Engelbert

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Pharmaceuticals are in many cases an indispensable element ofa comfortable and healthy life. Nevertheless, there is also a downsideto the widespread and increasing use of drugs: the occurrenceof their residues in the aquatic environment and in drinking water.Although there is evidence for negative effects of active pharmaceuticalingredients (APIs) in some animal and plant species, it hasnot yet been shown which risks in fact exist for humans and theenvironment. At the same time there is evidence that people willreject drinking water which contains only the smallest traces of APIs,despite claims that such traces are harmless. In this mélange ofhigh uncertainties, subjective risk perception, and the undisputedsocietal benefit of pharmaceuticals, established risk managementprocedures are likely to fail. Addressing this issue, the article willsuggest applying the concept of systemic risk to the case of APIsin drinking water. With this concept as basis a practical approachto risk management will be presented. It draws upon the recentlydeveloped concept of risk governance, as well as the precautionaryprinciple. Finally, concrete measures for risk precaution in thespheres of drug development, handling of drugs, and technicalemissions control in urban water management will be presented

AB - Pharmaceuticals are in many cases an indispensable element ofa comfortable and healthy life. Nevertheless, there is also a downsideto the widespread and increasing use of drugs: the occurrenceof their residues in the aquatic environment and in drinking water.Although there is evidence for negative effects of active pharmaceuticalingredients (APIs) in some animal and plant species, it hasnot yet been shown which risks in fact exist for humans and theenvironment. At the same time there is evidence that people willreject drinking water which contains only the smallest traces of APIs,despite claims that such traces are harmless. In this mélange ofhigh uncertainties, subjective risk perception, and the undisputedsocietal benefit of pharmaceuticals, established risk managementprocedures are likely to fail. Addressing this issue, the article willsuggest applying the concept of systemic risk to the case of APIsin drinking water. With this concept as basis a practical approachto risk management will be presented. It draws upon the recentlydeveloped concept of risk governance, as well as the precautionaryprinciple. Finally, concrete measures for risk precaution in thespheres of drug development, handling of drugs, and technicalemissions control in urban water management will be presented

KW - Chemistry

KW - drinking water

KW - drug development

KW - health-care system

KW - Pharmaceutical

KW - precautionary principle

KW - risk governance

KW - symtemic risk

KW - urban water management

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=57849086772&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.14512/gaia.17.4.10

DO - 10.14512/gaia.17.4.10

M3 - Scientific review articles

VL - 17

SP - 355

EP - 361

JO - GAIA

JF - GAIA

SN - 0940-5550

IS - 4

ER -