Peter Beaumont and Alison Craig of PAN UK
gave a presentation at the training day on pesticides for public health
professionals, organised by the Chemical Incident Response Service, Medical
Toxicology Unit, at St Thomas’ Hospital, on 8 June 2000.
The course was in response to requests from
public health doctors, who indicated in a survey that training on the management
of acute and chronic chemical incidents is needed. It was the first to address
issues arising from a particular chemical family, pesticides. Approximately
twenty public health consultants from the different Health Authorities,
including Buckinghamshire and the Isle of Wight, attended.
Pesticide chemical incidents were defined as
acute events (over-spraying, fires, water contamination, leaks, spills, etc) or
chronic long-term contamination issues (water contamination, food etc). The aim
was to give delegates the necessary tools and information to provide a prepared
and timely response to chemical incidents that result in pesticide
contamination.
Dr Virginia Murray, Director of the CIRS,
chaired the day, which included lectures and participatory sessions. Dr Lashman
Karalliedde, MTU Toxicology Consultant, presented his research into the
mechanism of action of organophosphates. Of concern to PAN UK was Dr
Karalleide’s use of the following statistic, often cited by the agrochemical
industry in defence of OPs: that one third of the food produced in the world is
lost to pests. In fact it is the practice of intensive monoculture which allows
pests to proliferate, leading to dependence on chemical pesticides.
Information Scientists Frances Northall and
Grainne Cullen, from the National Poisons Information Service (London),
presented detailed information on the toxicology of some herbicides, including
paraquat and glyphosate, insecticides, including lindane, and rodenticides.
Key points on toxicity, acute clinical
effects, and how to deal with an emergency were covered in detail, but the
chronic effects emerging from long-term epidemiological studies were not
mentioned, appearing only in references. For example, the toxic effects of
drinking glyphosate were described, but the recent Swedish study suggesting a
link between widespread use of the herbicide with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma was not
discussed (Hardell, L et al in Cancer March 15 1999, Vol 85, Number 6).
Dr Virginia Murray acknowledged that ‘It is
incredibly important that we keep public health informed of emerging
epidemiological evidence’ about pesticides. PAN UK would welcome
the establishment of an effective, national, early-warning system.
[Published in PEX Newsletter No.7, June 2000]