Global campaign on to replace mercury-based thermometers

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) launched yesterday a global initiative to replace more than 70 percent of mercury-based thermometer and blood pressure devices around the world.

Alexander von Hildebrand, WHO regional adviser for Chemical Safety in Southeast Asia, said they hope to substitute such devices with “digital and aneroid… within the decade.”

“It is our goal to significantly reduce the threat posed by mercury spills to patient and health workers, as well as the global environment,” he said during yesterday’s opening of the South Asian Conference on Alternatives to Mercury in Health Care, an event sponsored by the two organizations and the Indian NGO Toxics Link in New Delhi.

Mercury is considered “highly toxic,” and harmful to health and environment. In case of leakage or breakage of these medical devices, the substance can be inhaled or penetrate the skin.

It can cause tremors; emotion changes like mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness; insomnia; neuromuscular changes like weakness, muscle atrophy and twitching; headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, performance deficits on tests of cognitive functions.

Higher exposure can damage the kidneys, respiratory failure and death.

Ferrer added that occupational hazards, danger to people, wildlife and the environment are among the substantial reasons to phase out mercury.

Mercury can accumulate in lake bottom sediments where it is transformed into its more toxic organic form, methyl mercury, which is deposited in fish tissue.

Several countries have already taken steps to mandate “safer, accurate and affordable alternatives” to mercury-based medical equipment.

In the United States, Taiwan and some European countries, mercury-based devices have already been banned.