A study on the domestic drug usage pattern, disposal and environmental consequences among pharmaceutical manufacturing workers in Malaysia

摘要

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are found in every single pharmaceutical medicinal product manufactured. A total of 3,000 active APIs were currently approved in the worldwide market with an overall consumption of about 100,000 tons or more every year (Sadezky et al., 2008). Consumers obtain their Pharmaceuticals from hospitals, pharmacies and healthcare stores. However, non-prescribed (over-the-counter - OTC) medicinal products are also purchased from pharmacies as self-medication without the advice of a doctor. A total of 100,000 OTC drugs with about 1,000 active ingredients are sold in the market. There is no surveillance on the disposal of these biologically potent drugs in Malaysia. Easy solutions such as rinsing the medicinal product down a sink, flushing them in a toilet, or throwing them into the rubbish bin and drain; are preferred measures taken by consumers. Pharmaceutical medical residues are excreted via urine and faeces after consumption. The release of these residues will eventually end up in rivers, streams, groundwater and ultimately in drinking water inflicting negative health impacts on the aquatic and terrestrial biota including humans.