Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Blog - Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP

Of the 24 municipalities whose drinking water contained traces of pharmaceuticals, Philadelphia contains by far the most-- 56 different pharmaceuticals, including: amoxicilin(antibiotic), azithromycin (antibiotic), carbamazepine (anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer), diclofenac (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID)), prednisone (steroid), and tetracycline (antibiotic). These drugs exist in the level of parts per billion, very small trace amounts, but no one knows what the long-term consequences of exposure to this level of drugs will be over time. But some of these drugs have potentially very serious side effects. Tetracycline can lead to a deep discoloration of the teeth and poor skeletal development when given to children or pregnant women. It can also lead to a number of complications in people with impaired kidney function. Diclofenac is an NSAID like the troubled Vioxx, and may have similar effects, including heart failure and iscemic stroke. Carbamazepine can cause skin necrolysis (death), and Stevens-Johnsons syndrome, a body-wide allergic reaction, especially among people of chinese ancestry, who are more likely to have a gene making them more susceptible to the side effects.

What is the cause of the presence of drugs in the water? The main pathway suspected for the drugs to enter the water system is through the urine of people taking the drug. When drugs are injested, only part of the medicine is absorbed by the body, the rest being passed through in urine and feces. Since there is no standard for the level of these chemicals that can be present in water, they are generally not tested for, nor are they removed.

There are two groups of people responsible for the contamination of our water with these pharmaceutical drugs. One is the pharmaceutical industry, which uses their drugs as a blunt instrument, not paying attention to the actual dosage absorbed by the patient, but designing defective pills that contain more than enough medication to create the desired effect. The other group responsible is doctors, whose most common form of medical malpractice is overmedication. This is so common, in fact, it is rarely labeled as such, but, like the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes, continues to grow as doctors become the pushers for the pharmaceutical industry.

If you believe you have been exposed to a dangerous level of undesired prescription medication as a result of this situation, contact the experienced lawyers at Pomerantz, Perlberger, and Lewis, LLP today for a free initial consultation.