Friends of the Earth: Nano-Silver - Policy Failure Puts Public Health at Risk
A new report released by Friends of the Earth (FoE) reveals experts believe that widespread use of nano-silver could breed superbugs, leading to more Australian deaths in hospitals. Antibiotic resistant bacteria (superbugs) in hospitals claimed over 7,000 Australian lives each year. Public health experts have called this one of the greatest health threats of our time.
The numbers of deaths caused by bacterial resistance to antimicrobials and antibiotics in hospitals continues to rise. Hospital-associated infections kill around 100,000 people in the United States and 150,000 people in Europe each year. More than 7,000 similar deaths occur annually in Australia.
At the same time, we are experiencing an epidemic in allergic diseases and asthma in industrialised countries. Nearly 40% of children in Australia live with an allergy. In the United States, the figures are even worse – more than 54% of all US citizens test positive to one or more allergens; more than half US households have at least six detectable allergens.
Compelling new scientific research connects these two serious and complex problems to the misguided ‘war on bacteria’ in every aspect of our life.
Australian health experts surveyed for this report, including Professor John Turnidge, Professor Hatch Stokes and Associate Professor Tom Faunce, warn that the rapidly expanding use of nano-silver in bacteria-killing products could make both of these problems a lot worse.
For nearly a century, we have waged a war on bacteria. We have learned to fight off these ‘enemies’ by using stronger and stronger weapons. As the bacteria have found ways to resist the lethal effects of one antimicrobial weapon, we have been forced to unleash another. There is now a real worry that we may be running out of options to tackle resistant bacteria.
The medical community has been turning to nano-silver as an antimicrobial of last resort. Yet at the same time, many companies have seen a marketing advantage in including nano-silver as an ingredient in everyday products.
Nano-silver is found internationally in toothpastes, pet shampoos, fabric softeners, bath towels, cosmetics, deodorants, baby clothes, baby bottles, refrigerators, food storage containers, kitchen cutting boards, underwear, ATM buttons, industrial disinfectants, agricultural pesticides and handrails for buses. Here in Australia, people are already coming into contact with nano-silver every day.
In interviews for this report, medical experts warn that using such a powerful antimicrobial in these everyday products is not only unnecessary, but dangerous.
Source: Friends of the Earth
Further Information: Nano-silver - Policy Failure Puts Public Health at Risk (pdf, 3,78 MB)