An letter in the current issue of the journal Nature states that “Environmental contamination by pharmaceuticals is reaching alarming levels “. Professor Michael Depledge of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, in the UK, recommends that “new partnerships between drug companies, the public-health sector and those who deliver environmental sustainability are urgently needed to tackle the issue”. According to Depledge, the UK government’s Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances will be conducting an investigation.

The full letter is available at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v478/n7367/full/478036a.html#/comments
A subscription or one time payment is required. A CV for Professor Depledge is at http://www.pcmd.ac.uk/profiles.php?id=mdepledge&tab=full