September 23rd 2008
The Collegium Ramazzini, an international academy of 180 experts in environmental sciences and occupational health, has published a new consensus statement on the control of pesticides in the European Union. The brief position paper, which urges the EU to adopt strong legislation to protect public health and the environment against adverse effects of pesticides, has been sent to Members of the European Parliament and government representatives currently debating a proposed Regulation on the placing of plant protection products on the market.
The Collegium Ramazzini is a non-profit, scientific society which is independent of commercial interests. Its mission is to advance the study of occupational and environmental health issues and to be a bridge between the world of scientific discovery and the social and political centers which must act on scientific findings to protect public health. To this end the Collegium Ramazzini issues position papers on key issues in environmental sciences. Recent topics of statements include cancer prevention (2008), lead (2008) and asbestos (2004).
Secretary General of the Collegium Ramazzini, Morando Soffritti, MD, commented “this statement comes at a critical time for EU decision makers, however the scientific evidence regarding pesticides is not new. We have known for some time that exposure to pesticides poses serious health risks, especially to vulnerable subgroups of the population such as pregnant women and children. The Collegium Ramazzini urges the EU to ban pesticides that are known or suspected of causing cancer or damage to the brain, the reproductive system, or the immune system.”
The document released today, entitled “Control of pesticides in the European Union: a call for action to protect human health” is the 13th official statement of the Collegium since its founding in 1982. It is currently in press in two peer-reviewed scientific journals, the American Journal of Industrial Medicine and the European Journal of Oncology. The full text of this statement and others may be downloaded from www.collegiumramazzini.org.
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