(1) Resolution 403 - Contamination of Drinking Water by Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
Resolution 407 – Environmental Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
Resolution 411 – Safe Disposal of Unused Pharmaceuticals
RECOMMENDATION A:
Madam Speaker, your Reference Committee recommends that Resolution 403 be amended by insertion of a second resolve to read as follows:
RESOLVED, That our AMA encourage the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies to engage relevant stakeholders, which may include, but is not limited to the AMA, pharmaceutical companies , pharmaceutical retailers, state and specialty societies, and public health organizations in the development of guidelines for physicians and the public for the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products to prevent contamination of the drinking water systems. (Directive to Take Action)
RECOMMENDATION B:
Madam Speaker, your Reference Committee recommends that Resolution 403 be adopted as amended in lieu of Resolution 407 and Resolution 411.
HOD ACTION: Resolution 403 adopted as amended in lieu of Resolution 407 and Resolution 411.
Resolution 403 asks that our American Medical Association request the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct studies to better understand the public health impact of discarded pharmaceuticals and personal care products on the nation’s drinking water supplies.
Resolution 407 asks our American Medical Association to endorse a comprehensive national study on how chemical and pharmaceutical contaminants in the water table affect public health and the safely potable water supply. This information is to be made available to the public so that appropriate disposal and collection techniques might be developed and utilized for chemical and pharmaceutical agents to prevent contamination of the drinking water.
Resolution 411 asks our American Medical Association to request that the Environmental Protection Agency conduct studies to understand better the public health and environmental impact of discarded pharmaceuticals on the nation’s drinking water and to develop programmatic guidelines for the disposal of unused pharmaceuticals that optimally protect public health, patient confidentiality and environmental resources.
Your Reference Committee heard testimony suggesting that this is an important and timely issue. However, your Reference Committee also heard considerable testimony suggesting that it was outside of the AMA’s purview to study this issue and that the AMA should support the EPA’s current and future research in this area. Since it was felt that physician and public education is an important part of the problem, your Reference Committee recommends addition of the second resolve to encourage the development of guidelines on this issue.