Pesticide Hazards: Family Doctors Release Comprehensive Review of Research

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Subject:     Pesticide Hazards: Family Doctors Release Comprehensive Review of Research
     Date:  4/25/2004
    From:     Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com) (www.thebestcontrol.com)

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

Comprehensive Review of Pesticide Research Confirms Dangers Family  doctors highlight link between pesticide exposure and serious  illnesses and disease; children particularly vulnerable http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2004/23/c4416.html?view=print

TORONTO, April 23 /CNW/ -The Ontario College of Family Physicians  (OCFP) is strongly recommending that people reduce their exposure to  pesticides wherever possible after releasing a comprehensive review  of research on the effects of pesticides on human health. Released  today, the review shows consistent links to serious illnesses such as  cancer, reproductive problems and neurological diseases, among  others. The study also shows that children are particularly  vulnerable to pesticides. The review found consistent evidence of the  health risks to patients with exposure to pesticides. "Many of the  health problems linked with pesticide use are serious and difficult  to treat - so we are advocating reducing exposure to pesticides and  prevention of harm as the best approach", said Dr. Margaret Sanborn  of McMaster University, one of the review's authors.

Principle Findings of the Review:

- Many studies reviewed by the Ontario College show positive  associations between solid tumours and pesticide exposure, including  brain cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer and pancreatic cancer,  among others.

- Previous studies have pointed to certain pesticides, such as 2,4-D  and related pesticides, as possible precipitants of non-Hodgkin's  lymphoma (NHL), and the findings of the College's review are clearly  consistent with this.

- It is clear from the review that an association exists between  pesticide exposure and leukemia. According to the College, the  implication of pesticides in the development of leukemia warrants  further investigation and also, political action.

- The review team uncovered a remarkable consistency of findings of  nervous system effects of pesticide exposures.

- Occupational exposure to agricultural chemicals may be associated  with adverse reproductive effects including: birth defects, fetal  death and intrauterine growth retardation.

Pesticide Effects and Children:

Children are constantly exposed to low levels of pesticides in their  food and environment, yet there have been few studies on the  long-term effects of these exposures. Nevertheless, the College  reviewed several studies that found associations between pesticide  exposures and cancer in children. Key findings include:

- An elevated risk of kidney cancer was associated with paternal  pesticide exposure through agriculture, and four studies found  associations with brain cancer.

- Several studies in the review implicate pesticides as a cause of  hematologic tumours in children, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and  leukemia.

- Some children have overall increased risk of acute leukemia if  exposed to pesticides in utero or during childhood, especially for  exposure to insecticides and herbicides used on lawns, fruit trees  and gardens, and for indoor control of insects.

What the Public Should Do:

Given the wide range of commonly used home and garden products  associated with health effects, the College's overall message to  patients is to avoid exposure to all pesticides whenever and wherever  possible. This includes reducing both occupational exposures, as well  as lower level exposures that occur from the use of pesticides in  homes, gardens and public green space. The College also advocates  exposure reduction techniques such as:

- Researching and implementing alternative organic methods of lawn  and garden care and indoor pest control.

- Proper use of personal protection equipment, including respirators  for home and occupational exposures.

- Education on safe handling, mixing, storage and application when  pesticide use is considered necessary.

What Family Physicians Should Do:

In the wake of this systemic review, the College is advocating that  family physicians take the following measures:

- Screen patients for pesticides exposure at a level that may cause  significant health problems, and intervene if necessary.

- Take patient pesticide exposure history when non-specific symptoms  are present - such as fatigue, dizziness, low energy, rashes,  weaknesses, sleep problems, anxiety, depression.

- Focus efforts on prevention rather than on researching the causes  of chronic or terminal disease.

- Consider high-risk groups (e.g. children, pregnant women, seniors)  in their practices.

- Advocate reduction or pesticide risk/use to individual patients.

- Advocate reduction of pesticide risk/use in the community, schools,  hospitals and to governments.

The Ontario College of Family Physicians is a provincial chapter of  the College of Family Physicians of Canada and is a voluntary,  not-for-profit association that promotes family medicine in Ontario  through leadership, education and advocacy. The OCFP represents more  than 6,700 family physicians providing care for remote, rural,  suburban, urban and inner-city populations in Ontario. The OCFP is  the voice of family medicine in Ontario. At the heart of the  organization is the building and maintenance of high standards of  practice and the continuous improvement of access to quality family  practice services for all residents of Ontario.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The OCFP Study is available on the Ontario College's  website at www.ocfp.on.ca

For further information: Contact: Josh Cobden or Jennifer Casey,  Environics Communications, (416) 920-9000, jcobden@environicspr.com;  Jan Kasperski, Ontario College of Family Physicians, (416) 867-9646,  jk_ocfp@cfpc.ca

For the full release go to the following url:

Ontario College of Family Physicians PRESS RELEASE Pesticide Hazards http://www.ocfp.on.ca/English/OCFP/Communications/CurrentIssues/Pesticides/default.asp?s=1

 Pesticide Hazards: Family Doctors to Release Comprehensive Review of  Research Today

Join us today for the results of Canada's most comprehensive review  of research on the effects of pesticides on humans. Canada News-Wire Fri 23 Apr 2004 Section: GENERAL NEWS Time: 08:00 (Eastern Time)

TORONTO, April 23 /CNW/ - TODAY, the Ontario College of Family  Physicians (OCFP) will release the results of Canada's most  comprehensive review of research on the effects of pesticides on  humans, and the implications for family physicians.

The results of the systemic review cover studies done since 1992, and  describe the findings regarding major adverse pesticide health  effects, including:

- Solid tumours, including brain cancer, prostate cancer, kidney  cancer and pancreatic cancer, among others

- Leukemia

- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

- Genotoxic effects

- Skin diseases

- Neurological diseases

- Reproductive effects

- Vulnerable patient groups, including children

Who:      Margaret Sanborn, MD, CCFP, FCFP, McMaster University  Donald Cole, MD, FRCP(C), University of Toronto

Cathy Vakil, MD, CCFP, Queen's University

Mandy Weselak, BN, MSc

Jan Kasperski, RN, MHSc, CHE, Executive Director and Chief Executive  Officer, OCFP

 

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