Birth Defect News

Subject: Birth Defect News - May 2002
Date:     Fri, 31 May 2002 13:55:48 -0400
From:      Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation

ADVANCES IN BIOLOGY SHOULD BE USED TO ASSESS BIRTH DEFECTS FROM TOXIC CHEMICALS

Approximately half of all pregnancies in the United States result in prenatal or postnatal death or an otherwise less than healthy baby. A new report from the National Research Council of the National Academies says new discoveries in developmental biology and genetics should be used when scientists analyze chemicals for their potential to cause birth defects . Given recent advances in understanding how the process of normal development occurs, methods can now be devised to determine how chemicals disrupt this process in humans.

"Our report provides a blueprint for using new findings about the dynamic processes involved in normal development to further our understanding of how human development may be affected by potentially toxic chemicals," says Elaine Faustman, chair of the committee that wrote the report and
professor of environmental health and director of the Institute for Risk Analysis and Risk Communication, University of Washington, Seattle.

Through laboratory studies of animals, scientists recently have discovered how specific cells communicate with each other, ultimately activating proteins that turn particular genes on and off, thus regulating development. These "signaling pathways" are used repeatedly in various combinations at different times and locations in the embryo and fetus. Chemical disruption of these pathways could lead to abnormal development.

The committee emphasized that all stages of human development should be examined in toxicity studies, since all developmental periods are potentially susceptible to toxic agents. They said the vast amounts of data that could be generated by testing thousands of chemicals for potential developmental toxicity will require new databases capable of organizing this information in a way that is useful for risk assessment.

The lack of opportunities for collaboration among scientists from different fields has impeded the application of new information to improve developmental toxicology and risk assessment. To overcome this, educational programs and professional workshops should be organized to facilitate interaction among researchers in developmental toxicology, developmental biology, genomics, medical genetics, epidemiology, and biostatistics.

The results of a telephone survey conducted by All Cylinders research, found that six out of ten major new home builders in the United States are moving away from hazardous chemicals to treat new home construction. According to environmentalists, however, this trend is moving slower than it should be. Even though the termite insecticide chlorpyrifos (Dursban) has been banned from store shelves, builders and pest control companies can use stocks to treat new homes until 2006.

Under pressure from EPA, Dow Chemical pulled Dursban from retail shelves at the end of 2001, but will continue to sell it for termite pre-treatments in new home construction until its use as a termiticide is banned in 2006. The use of Dursban for termite pre-treatment could stop immediately. Borates can be sprayed directly on wood during the dried-in phase of construction, saving the builder time and money and providing termite protection for as long as the wood is in service. Borate based products exhibit low toxicity to humans and other mammals. Other alternatives include steel mesh barriers and steel termite shields under and around foundations.

Scientists have located a gene that cause low survival rates among cloned animals. This discovery adds to the controversy of potential human cloning. The gene in question is called Oct4. If this gene is not functioning properly, or not present at all, the clone will not live a normal life span, even though the embryo appears normal and survives birth.

Oct4 may also be the reason for the inefficiency in previous cloning ventures. Less than three out of 100 cloned animal embryos survive to birth. It is not likely that Oct4 is the only gene causing problems for cloned embryos. Therefore, much more research is needed before animal cloning is considered practical.

According to a report by Samuel Epstein, M.D., professor of environmental and occupation medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Quentin Young, M.D., chairman of the Health and Medicine Policy group, the cancer establishment has ignored the fact that childhood cancer has increased by 26% since 1971. Over 20 U.S. and international studies have incriminated paternal and maternal exposures (pre-conception, during conception and post-conception) to a wide range of occupational carcinogens as major causes of childhood cancer. Numerous studies have also shown strong associations between childhood cancers and environmental exposures.

Drs. Epstein and Young said that the failure of the cancer establishment to warn of these avoidable cancer risks reflects mindsets fixated on damage control - screening, diagnosis, and treatment - and basic genetic research, with indifference to primary prevention. They suggest that this indifference to primary prevention has been compounded by conflicts of interest, particularly with the giant cancer drug industry.

Health Canada has decided to ban insect repellents with more than 30 per cent of the active ingredient DEET, citing health risks and evidence that increasing the amount of DEET in products does not do much more to keep the bugs at bay. The regulators have also decided to ban popular two-in-one products that mix sunscreen and insect repellent, saying there is potential for users to get too much DEET exposure as they lather on the lotion.

The decision was applauded recently by Dr. Mohamed Abou-Donia, a pharmacology professor at Duke University, who found symptoms of neurological damage in soldiers who used small doses of the compound daily for two months. Other studies of soldiers and park wardens who use DEET regularly have found evidence of skin reactions including large, painful blisters, rashes and a numb sensation in the lips. Florida park employees also reported more sleep and mood disturbances and cognitive dysfunction.

Children may be especially susceptible to the adverse effects of DEET exposures. Researchers have recorded several instances of brain problems in children with the most severe cases involving seizures, coma and even death.. About 70 per cent of the repellent brands on the market contain less than 30 per cent DEET, but some popular products advertise a virtually undiluted solution of more than 90 per cent DEET.

The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) has reported that during the first 92 days of this year (January 3, 2002 April 4, 2002) there were 812 new cases of level one autism added to California's developmental services, a system that has been diagnosing and serving persons with autism since 1971. The 812 new cases identified during the first quarter of 2002 is an all time record for numbers of autism cases reported in a quarter.

The California system currently serves 17,614 cases of autism. Level one autism has become the number one disability in California's developmental services system, surpassing mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and all other conditions similar to mental retardation, and comprising 35% of all the intakes. The latest figures show that autism accounted for 36% of all the intakes during the first quarter of 2002. The rapidly increasing autism epidemic is showing no signs of abating, escalating from an average of 5 new children a day just a few years ago to the current rate of nine new children a day, seven days a week.

The National Institute for Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) has released a Program Announcement entitled, "Environmentally Induced Cardiovascular Malformations." The purposes of the PA are to "stimulate research to characterize environmental agents that cause alterations in the development of the cardiovascular system and thereby lead to cardiovascular malformations, and to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of these malformations." The PA invites regular R01 research grant applications, as well as applications for Exploratory / Developmental grants (R21).

NEW INFORMATION CENTER FOR PATIENTS WITH GENETIC DISORDERS AND RARE DISEASES

The National Human Genome Research Institute and the National Institutes of Health's Office of Rare Diseases are starting a new information center to give patients and their families free and immediate access to people knowledgeable about genetics and rare diseases. Questions will be answered by an experienced staff by phone, Email, fax and regular mail. The center, however, does not provide genetic counseling.

Calls are answered Monday through Friday from 12:00pm to 6:00pm EST. For information, please call 1-888-205-2311 or TTY 1-888-205-3223. Email: gardinfo@nih.gov

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