HEALTH HAZARD ALERT
Consumers advised to stop eating pork until Carbadox taken off the market
April 11, 2001
(Ottawa) - The Canadian Health Coalition is advising Canadian consumers to stop eating pork products until a dangerous, cancer causing drug is taken off the market.The drug, carbadox, which is used primarily as a growth promoter, is a known carcinogen. New evidence illustrates how this drug - which can harm workers, animals and the environment -is systematically being abused.
Health Canada scientists are calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of Carbadox as an emergency measure. However, senior managers in Health Canada refuse to act on the advice of their scientific experts and refuse to apply the Precautionary Principle as an emergency action to protect human health. Instead, they are applying a policy of Risk Management, which involves the decision as to how many people will be permitted to become ill or die.
The 'Visiting Executive Manager' of the Bureau of Veterinary Drugs is quoted by Canadian Press (April 10, 2001) as saying Health Canada "has no authority to act immediately". This is not true. The Food and Drugs Act not only gives clear authority, it is a statutory duty to take immediate action to protect human health from a known hazard.
To deal with this emergency and the unwillingness by senior managers to perform their statutory duty, the CHC is calling on Health Minister Allan Rock to order an immediate moratorium on Carbadox. The CHC is also calling for a special Senate committee investigation into the use of drugs in food-producing animals.
"Health Canada's statutory duty is to protect Canadians, not put them at risk," said Michael McBane, National Co-ordinator of the Canadian Health Coalition.
Health Canada scientists who studied Carbadox for over 20 years, identified the following issues of concern:
- Carbadox is a dangerous genotoxic carcinogenic substance.
- the safety of the handlers;
- continuous Carbadox treatment in smaller pigs (BBQ) with no withdrawal period;
- cross-contamination problems;
- contamination of rendered material that is included in feed for other animals;
- carcinogenic agents found in the excreta of treated pigs;
- lack of proper surveillance of feeds and residues in food;
- the environmental impact of the large-scale use of Carbadox;
- the CFIA has no capacity to even test for Carbadox or its metabolites: desoxycarbadox and hydrazine
LETTER FROM THE CANADIAN HEALTH COALITION
TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH RE: CARBADOX
Hon. Allan RockMinister of Health
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
April 11, 2001
Re: Emergency Health Measure to Stop the Use of Carbodox Immediately
Dear Minister Rock,
The Canadian Health Coalition is requesting that you order an immediate moratorium on the use of Carbadox in Canada. Carbodox is not only a serious threat to consumers of pork, but also to workers and the environment.
Health Canada's own experts have scientific evidence of potential harm to human health from the use of Carbodox. However, since the Carbadox incident first occured in September 2000, your senior managers have refused to take action based on the Precautionary Principle to stop the use of this dangerous substance.
Confidence in Canada's food and health regulatory system will not be restored until the duty of health protection replaces the current policy of managing risks in the interests of industry.
Thank you for giving this request your serious attention.
Respectfully yours,
Michael McBane
National Co-ordinator
Canadian Health Coalition
cc:
Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada
Hon. Lyle Vanclief, Minister of Agriculture
Rt. Hon Joe Clark, Leader of the Progressive Conservatives
Hon. Stockwell Day, Leader of the Opposition
Hon. Gilles Duceppe, Chef, Bloc Québécois
Hon. Alexa McDonough, Leader, New Democratic Party
MEDIA COVERAGE
Health Department argues over drug that can leave carcinogenic residue in pork
Canadian PressApril 10, 2001
By Dennis Buekert
OTTAWA (CP) - The Health Department wants to ban a drug that could leave cancer-causing residue in pork, but it could still remain in use for up to a year.
Department scientists are pressing for an immediate ban on the product, called carbadox, saying it is a well-documented carcinogen for which safe alternatives exist. Carbadox is widely used in the swine industry to promote animal growth and prevent dysentery.
"It's better to lose a few pigs than cause cancer in people," one source in the department said on condition of anonymity.
Internal memos show the drug has been under intense debate since pork was recalled from Quebec supermarkets due to carbadox residues last year.
But Diane Kirkpatrick, head of the department's bureau of veterinary drugs, says the department may not have the authority to act immediately.
"We will propose a ban on this product but it has to go through the regulatory process which means first and foremost that we need to inform manufacturers of the product," Kirkpatrick said in an interview Monday.
In the background is the larger question of whether meat producers should be using drugs to enhance animal growth, considering that the drugs may leave residues in meat products.
In one memo obtained by The Canadian Press, staff scientist Arnost Vilim says the department should not tell producers about how to use carbadox safely "because there is no such way.
"Carbadox is a dangerous genotoxic carcinogenic substance the use of which is very difficult to control," Vilim says in the memo.
"Instead of spreading our resources thin and promoting a safe use of carbadox we should be working on banning this dangerous drug from its use in food-producing animals."
Kirkpatrick said the department must provide industry with a rationale for proposing withdrawal of the product, and the process could be lengthy if there are requests for more information.
"We will also ask our legal people to advise us whether we have the authority, and what does that consist of, in terms of an interim moratorium on use.
The department must also discuss alternatives with manufacturers and users and decide if a moratorium is feasible and practical.
Toxic residues of carbadox are quickly eliminated by the animal's digestive system, Kirkpatrick said, and regulations specify that use of the product must end 30 days before slaughter.
Critics say there is clear authority in the Food and Drug Act to ban a product that threatens health, but that there is virtually no attempt to monitor compliance with regulations.
In the case of the Quebec recall, pigs were accidentally given carbadox, then slaughtered without any withdrawal period. Other incidents involving incorrect use of the drug have been reported.
Critics of the food-animal industry say it has become dependent on a wide range of drugs, especially antibiotics to promote growth in animals, whose residues may affect people.
Kirkpatrick said carbadox is being banned not because it poses a risk to consumers, but over concern about contamination of workers handling it and environmental contamination from animal excrement.
She conceded the drug poses a health risk if the 30-day withdrawal period is not observed. The United States permits use of the drug but specifies a 45-day withdrawal period. Carbadox has been banned in the European Union.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Pork hormone dangerous, scientists say
CBC WebPostedApr 12, 2001
OTTAWA - Scientists and consumer advocacy groups are pressuring Health Canada to ban a growth hormone used on pigs called carbadox.
Carbadox is widely used to promote animal growth and prevent dysentary. Internal documents show the drug has been under intense scrutiny and debate since a recall last year.
The hormone is a well-known carcinogen and scientists within the department want an immediate moratorium. They say safer alternatives exist.
Pork was given a Class 1 recall last year from Quebec supermarkets - its the most urgent recall of all. That's because a veterinarian inadvertantly discovered some pig farmers were injecting their animals only days before slaughter.
The drug can leave potent cancer-causing residue on pork, even up to one year.
Health Canada 'managing the risk
Carbadox is approved for use up to 35 days before slaughter. Consumer and health groups fear farmers are misusing or abusing carbadox and want an immediate ban.
In the United States, the withdrawal period is 45 days.
Health Canada managers say they want to manage the risk and plan to reiterate the department's safe-use policy to farmers.
"There's no such thing as 'safe-use' with a carcinogen,' says Michael McBane.
McBane is with the Canadian Health Coalition, an umbrella group for consumers and health professionals.
"(Health Canada managers) are considering this a test case for their 'risk management', they'd rather managed the risk than protect human health," McBane told CBC Online.
McBane says the hormone is even hazardous to people who handle it.
CLICK HERE TO SEE CBC COVERAGE OF THIS STORY