The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

The medicines we take to stay healthy are harming nature. Here’s what needs to change

  • Written by Lauren T. May, Senior Lecturer and Group Leader, Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University

Evidence is mounting that modern medicines present a growing threat to ecosystems around the world. The chemicals humans ingest to stay healthy are harming fish and other animals.

Modern pharmaceuticals have revolutionised disease prevention and treatment. But after our bodies use medicines, they excrete them. Eventually, the chemicals can end up in rivers, oceans and soils.

This is a problem, because medicines designed to treat humans can also affect other species in serious ways, changing their bodies and behaviour. The chemicals can also pass through food webs and affect animals higher up the chain.

Urgent action is needed to design drugs that work on humans, but don’t harm nature.

Water from a drainage system enters a creek in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Wastewater entering rivers can harm aquatic life. Shutterstock

Evidence of harm

In the past two decades, studies have emerged showing the extent to which medicines persist in nature.

In August this year, Australian researchers found[1] the antidepressant fluoxetine – sold under the brand name Prozac, among others – can harm male guppies[2] in ways that affected their body condition and breeding.

Research in 2022[3] examined pharmaceuticals in rivers in 104 countries of all continents. It found pharmaceutical contaminants posed a threat to the health of the environment or humans in more than a quarter of locations studied.

In 2018, a study of watercourses and surrounds in Melbourne[4] found more than 60 pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic invertebrates and spiders.

Researchers in the United States have found[5] hormones in the contraceptive pill have caused male fish to produce a protein usually produced by female fish. This “feminisation” led to collapses in fish populations.

And a psychoactive drug found in wastewater effluent has been found to alter wild fish behaviour and feeding[6].

Three guppies (side view), top male, bottom females
The antidepressant fluoxetine – sold under the brand name Prozac, among others – can harm male guppies. Per Harald Olsen, Wikimedia, CC BY[7][8]

Benign by design

So how do we solve this problem?

More effective and economical wastewater treatments must be developed[9] to remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater before it is discharged into the environment.

In addition, researchers developing pharmaceuticals must adopt a “benign by design[10]” approach across the entire life of a drug.

From the outset, drugs must be designed to decompose quickly and fully after being excreted by humans. It’s possible for drug scientists to alter the chemical and physical properties of drugs[11] so after humans excrete them, the active ingredients mineralise, or change form, to base substances such as carbon dioxide and water.

Traditionally researchers have designed drugs not to break down, either on the shelf or in the human body. While these properties remain important, drug developers should ensure medicines degrade quickly once in the environment.

A woman in a lab coat holds two pills
Researchers should adopt a ‘benign by design’ approach to pharmaceutical design. Shutterstock[12]

Taking action

The principles of sustainable drug discovery should be included in Australia’s academic curriculum.

This would hopefully produce a generation of drug researchers who prioritise, where possible, medications that don’t harm the environment.

Regulation is also needed to ensure “greener” drug development. The International Pharmaceutical Federation last year took steps in this direction. The global body, representing more than 4 million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, released a statement[13] calling for all medicines to be rigorously tested for environmental risk.

The European Medicines agency[14] has gone even further. It requires the environmental risk of a medicine to be assessed before it’s approved for use.

The assessment considers a medicine’s chemical properties, potential ecological harm and where in the environment it may end up, such as water or soil. Pharmaceutical companies are also required to produce waste management plans that minimise environmental impact.

Research has found[15] Australia lags behind on introducing similar requirements for environmental risk assessments for medicines.

By prioritising eco-friendly practices, the pharmaceutical sector can contribute to a healthier planet, while continuing to provide safe and effective medicines.

Everyday Australians can also take action to reduce environmental pollution from medicines. The federal government’s Return Unwanted Medicines[16] project allows household drugs to be returned to pharmacies for safe and correct disposal.

By dropping off old medicines to your local chemist – instead of flushing or throwing them away, as some people mistakenly do – you can help look after fish and other wildlife in your area.

References

  1. ^ Australian researchers found (besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  2. ^ can harm male guppies (theconversation.com)
  3. ^ Research in 2022 (doi.org)
  4. ^ a study of watercourses and surrounds in Melbourne (doi.org)
  5. ^ Researchers in the United States have found (doi.org)
  6. ^ wild fish behaviour and feeding (www.science.org)
  7. ^ Per Harald Olsen, Wikimedia (commons.wikimedia.org)
  8. ^ CC BY (creativecommons.org)
  9. ^ must be developed (doi.org)
  10. ^ benign by design (doi.org)
  11. ^ chemical and physical properties of drugs (doi.org)
  12. ^ Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  13. ^ released a statement (www.fip.org)
  14. ^ European Medicines agency (www.ema.europa.eu)
  15. ^ Research has found (doi.org)
  16. ^ Return Unwanted Medicines (returnmed.com.au)

Read more https://theconversation.com/the-medicines-we-take-to-stay-healthy-are-harming-nature-heres-what-needs-to-change-235012

Times Magazine

Building an AI-First Culture in Your Company

AI isn't just something to think about anymore - it's becoming part of how we live and work, whether we like it or not. At the office, it definitely helps us move faster. But here's the thing: just using tools like ChatGPT or plugging AI into your wo...

Data Management Isn't Just About Tech—Here’s Why It’s a Human Problem Too

Photo by Kevin Kuby Manuel O. Diaz Jr.We live in a world drowning in data. Every click, swipe, medical scan, and financial transaction generates information, so much that managing it all has become one of the biggest challenges of our digital age. Bu...

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

The Times Features

Is our mental health determined by where we live – or is it the other way round? New research sheds more light

Ever felt like where you live is having an impact on your mental health? Turns out, you’re not imagining things. Our new analysis[1] of eight years of data from the New Zeal...

Going Off the Beaten Path? Here's How to Power Up Without the Grid

There’s something incredibly freeing about heading off the beaten path. No traffic, no crowded campsites, no glowing screens in every direction — just you, the landscape, and the...

West HQ is bringing in a season of culinary celebration this July

Western Sydney’s leading entertainment and lifestyle precinct is bringing the fire this July and not just in the kitchen. From $29 lobster feasts and award-winning Asian banque...

What Endo Took and What It Gave Me

From pain to purpose: how one woman turned endometriosis into a movement After years of misdiagnosis, hormone chaos, and major surgery, Jo Barry was done being dismissed. What beg...

Why Parents Must Break the Silence on Money and Start Teaching Financial Skills at Home

Australia’s financial literacy rates are in decline, and our kids are paying the price. Certified Money Coach and Financial Educator Sandra McGuire, who has over 20 years’ exp...

Australia’s Grill’d Transforms Operations with Qlik

Boosting Burgers and Business Clean, connected data powers real-time insights, smarter staffing, and standout customer experiences Sydney, Australia, 14 July 2025 – Qlik®, a g...