Oxazepam

Detailed information

Fass environmental information

Fass environmental information for Sobril (oxazepam) from Pfizer (downloaded 2020-11-05).

Hazard

Persistence: It can not be excluded that oxazepam is persistent, since data are lacking.

Bioaccumulation: It can not be excluded that oxazepam may bioaccumulate, since data are lacking.

Toxicity: No data.

Risk

Risk of environmental impact of oxazepam cannot be excluded, since no ecotoxicity data are available.

Report Goodpoint

In Sweden oxazepam has been found in wild fish in concentrations that can cause changes in the behavior of fish. These behavioral changes can cause potential effects on the ecological balance.

Oxazepam is included in Region Stockholm's table of pharmaceuticals with risk for negative environmental impact according to the environmental program 2017–2021.

Other publications

Results from studies of a large Swedish lake has shown that oxazepam is difficult to degrade and can persist for several decades, which entails a risk of accumulation. The substance has been detected in the environment in Sweden in concentrations very close to the concentrations that affect the behavior of fish. A dissertation from 2020 showed that the effect of oxazepam decreased on fish groups and that degradation is slower in an ecosystem than in laboratory environments.

Pharmaceutial residues in the aquatic environment in Sweden

Oxazepam has been detected in treated wastewater, surface water and drinking water in Region Stockholm.

The Wise list

Oxazepam is recommended in the Wise list. The Wise list is the drug formulary of essential medicines for common diseases in Region Stockholm from the Drug and Therapeutics Committee. Environmental classification of pharmaceuticals is taken into consideration, sometimes with other environmental aspects, when selecting pharmaceuticals for the Wise list. When comparable pharmaceuticals are equivalent to medical effects, safety and pharmaceutical efficacy, environmental impact and price are considered.

Suggestions on how to reduce the emissions of oxazepam

Concrete proposals on how to work to reduce emissions of environmentally harmful pharmaceuticals on the list have been developed in close cooperation with the Stockholm Drug and Therapeutics Committee's expert groups. The action proposals were developed from an environmental perspective. The patient's best always goes first and several pharmaceuticals on the list are also included in the Wise list. However, for such pharmaceuticals, there may be measures that could reduce the environmental impact.