Wed 05 May 2004
The Ottawa Citizen
Pesticide risks
are real
By Dr. John Molot
The Citizen's opinion to not ban pesticides in the
city ("Weeding out bad policy," April 29)
reflects your criticism of the recent report on
pesticides by the Ontario College of Family
Physicians (OCFP) and your trust that Health Canada
considers these chemicals safe when used with care.
In fact, you claim that Health Canada has "real
expertise in this area."
As you stated, the OCFP literature review of existing
studies showed compelling evidence that regular
exposure to large doses of pesticides is bad for
human health. The groups studied were professionals
(farmers and applicators) with regular exposure to
large doses. You failed to mention that the studies
also included recreational gardeners as well as wives
and children of the users. One assumes that most of
these professionals used them "with care."
Lawn use accounts for 8.5 per cent of the total
pesticide use in North America.
Cancers and other diseases such as Parkinson's that
are increasing in incidence are definitely related to
pesticide exposure. Every person on this continent
has consistent measurable levels of pesticides in
their bodies, and we have absolutely no idea what are
safe levels.
The OCFP literature review was done in response to a
pesticide lobby group complaining about a 1998
educational pamphlet on pesticides published by the
OCFP. This complaint is typical of the confrontations
between health advocates and pesticide lobby groups.
The OCFP found 12,061 papers published in the medical
literature between 1992 and 2003 on the effects of
pesticides on human health. Papers for review were
chosen using standard evidence-based medicine
protocols. Every published paper we reviewed had been
peer-reviewed before publication. We even attempted
to obtain studies used by the Pesticide Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA), which is the department at
Health Canada that licenses the use of pesticides and
claims that they are "safe." PMRA refuses
to release the studies for review, even after we
applied via the Access to Information Act, because
they have only been done by the pesticide companies
and are considered "proprietary."
Nevertheless, even Health Canada promotes the
reduction of the use of pesticides on lawns on its
website.
The scientific literature shows a correlation with
pesticide exposure and cancer of the brain, kidney,
pancreas, prostate and lymph system (leukemia and
non-Hodgkins lymphoma). There are nervous-system
effects and effects on reproduction (intrauterine
growth retardation, birth defects and fetal death).
The elderly are more at risk to develop Parkinson's,
Lou Gehrig's and Alzheimer's diseases.
The mandate of the Ontario College of Family
Physicians is to teach medical students and
practising family physicians, and we recommend
screening our patients for exposure to pesticides ,
especially those already at risk such as children,
women of childbearing age and those with a family
history of cancer, Parkinson's and the like. In our
opinion, our patients should reduce their exposure to
pesticides wherever possible, whether it is washing
or peeling food or reducing the use in and around
their homes.
It is our mandate to advocate for the health of the
community at large, and we base our opinion on the
largest scientific review of the published medical
evidence to date. How society will achieve the
reduction of chemical exposures is a political issue.
The editorial board of the Citizen has taken a
political stance on the issue of pesticide reduction
in the city based on ignorance of the scientific
evidence -- which is why physicians don't get their
information from community newspapers on how to
advise and treat their patients appropriately.
Dr. John Molot is
a member of the environmental health committee of the
Ontario College of Family Physicians. He practises in
Ottawa.
Community Web.
