THE ADVISORY Committee on Pesticides has dismissed a Canadian report which claimed there was a link between spray exposure and serious illness.

The ACP‘s medical and toxicology panel had scrutinised the report from the Ontario College of Family Physicians and concluded it does not raise any new issues.

The ACP said it did agree with some of the report‘s conclusions but there were others with which it strongly disagreed.

One of these was the assertion that studies had consistently shown “statistically significant positive associations” with solid tumours and pesticide exposure.

Overall, the ACP said the report, which was published in April 2004, did not contain any new concerns about pesticide safety that were not already being addressed.

A statement added that it “does not indicate any need for additional regulatory action in the UK”.