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Alistair Boxall: ‘We know rivers are heavily contaminated by chemical substances and I’m surprised we do nothing about it’

17 October 2026 at 05:00
Professor Alistair Boxall, from the University of York, in Vitoria, in early September.

Alistair Boxall, 58, is a chemist and professor of environmental science at the University of York. In 2022, he helped lead the largest study ever conducted on pharmaceutical pollution in rivers around the world. Boxall is now leading a new monitoring project covering 93 rivers in 31 European countries. Among them are the Manzanares, Jarama, Henares and Pantueña streams in the Madrid region, as well as the Zadorra and Nervión rivers in Álava.

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The best strategy against superbugs: Wait 48 hours before taking antibiotics, and only use them if symptoms worsen

11 October 2026 at 05:00
Antibiotic packaging on a pharmacy shelf in Madrid.

The so-called “delayed prescribing” is an evidence-based strategy that remains underused despite concerns over the misuse of antibiotics and the rise of superbugs, which are responsible for an estimated 1.2 million deaths worldwide each year. Under this approach, a doctor prescribes treatment for a patient with a respiratory infection but advises them to monitor their symptoms and wait up to 72 hours before collecting the medication from the pharmacy and starting the course.

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