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USDA NCRS
WHO Publishes Full Report on Glyphosate (aka Roundup) as Probable Human Carcinogen
The World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer agency - the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) just released its full report on Glyphosate (the main ingredient in Roundup), which shows why the agency determined that the herbicide probably causes cancer in humans and classified it as a Group 2A carcinogen. Here is the link to the WHO report:
http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol112/mono112-02.pdf
The IARC reached its decision based on the view of 17 experts from 11 countries, who met in Lyon, France, to assess the carcinogenicity of 5 organophosphate pesticides.
Since the IARC report was released in March 2015 many countries have been looking at possible bans on glyphosate-based herbicides and Sri Lanka announced a complete ban. Supermarkets across Europe have also removed glyphosate-based herbicides from their shelves.
During his recent lecture in Corte Madera, Dr. Don Huber, Emeritus Professor of Plant Pathology at Purdue University, said that the only reason the IARC determined that Glyphosate is "probably" carcinogenic in humans rather than definitely carcinogenic is because there has been insufficient testing. One of the reasons that's true is because it's nearly impossible to find a control group of people who haven't been exposed to Glyphosate. The IARC did determine that Glyphosate is definitely carcinogenic in animals.
"6. EVALUATION
6.1 Cancer in humans
There is limited evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of glyphosate. A positive association has been observed for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
6.2 Cancer in experimental animals
There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of glyphosate.
6.3 Overall evaluation
Glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A).
6.4 Rationale
In making this overall evaluation, the Working Group noted that the mechanistic and other relevant data support the classification of glyphosate in Group 2A. In addition to limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of glyphosate in humans and sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of glyphosate in experimental animals, there is strong evidence that glyphosate can operate through two key characteristics of known human carcinogens, and that these can be operative in humans.
Specifically:
• There is strong evidence that exposure to glyphosate or glyphosate-based formulations is **genotoxic based on studies in humans in vitro and studies in experimental animals.
One study in several communities in individuals exposed to glyphosate-based formulations also found chromosomal damage in blood cells; in this study, markers of chromosomal damage (micronucleus formation) were significantly greater after exposure than before exposure in the same individuals.
• There is strong evidence that glyphosate, glyphosate-based formulations, and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) can act to induce oxidative stress based on studies in experimental animals, and in studies in humans in vitro. This mechanism has been challenged experimentally by administering antioxidants, which abrogated the effects of glyphosate on oxidative stress. Studies in aquatic species provide additional evidence for glyphosate-induced oxidative stress."
** Definition of "Genotoxicity" by Wikipedia:
"In genetics, genotoxicity describes the property of chemical agents that damages the genetic information within a cell causing mutations, which may lead to cancer. While genotoxicity is often confused with mutagenicity, all mutagens are genotoxic, however, not all genotoxic substances are mutagenic."