Glyphosate UpdateUpdated: January 21st, 2017
Created: January 21st, 2017Robin Mesnage - a research associate at King's College London, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, who took part in the study - told Al Jazeera how highly advanced methods helped analyse the effects of the herbicide on rats' health.
"Metabolomics and proteomics allows detection of hundreds or even thousands of molecules at the same time, which is much greater than other techniques. So we could clearly see what is happening in the organs," Mesnage said.
In the report, the researchers highlighted that glyphosate, a chemical compound that is the main component of Roundup and has been described as a "probable carcinogen" by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, was administered in "ultra-low doses" - well below the exposure level permitted for humans.
"The dose of glyphosate from the Roundup administered was thousands of times below what is permitted by regulators worldwide," it said.
"Regulators worldwide accept toxicity studies in rats as indicators of human health risks. Therefore, the results of this latest study may have serious consequences for human health, and thus warrant careful consideration by regulatory agencies and further investigation by toxicologists."
In addition, the study also concluded that regulators should reconsider current safety limits for glyphosate.
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/01/study-linking-herbicide-disease-fuels-debate-170116140401709.html