Tuesday August 27, 2024
The Conversation —
Antidepressants have helped millions of people worldwide since the 1950s. But have you ever wondered what happens to these drugs once they leave our bodies?
We wanted to study the effects of pharmaceutical pollution on freshwater fish.
Our new research shows even low levels of the antidepressant fluoxetine – sold under the brand name Prozac, among others – will harm male guppies over time. In laboratory experiments, males exposed to fluoxetine at levels they would likely encounter in the wild suffered wide-ranging consequences.
As our reliance on medication grows, so too does the burden we place on natural systems. If we fail to understand the effects of pollution on wildlife, we risk compromising the health of our ecosystems and the services they provide.