Pesticides & Cancer

Cancer Testimonies: Patients speak out on cancer and the environment

Christina — 2011-04-20T15:09:24Z

A collection of testimonies have been gathered from cancer patient groups about cancer and the environment, called ‘Environment and Cancer testimonies' that were organised by the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) and Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).

They provide a snapshot of the concerns and priorities for action on environmental prevention by member states and the EU. In addition, they show that cancer patients are increasingly concerned about chemicals in our environment, and want the environment cleaned up to help them avoid a recurrence. An example from Belgium was that a patient noted many farmers in his neighbourhood are still using forbidden pesticides. These concerns reflect public opinion surveys findings in the EU. A recent Eurobarometer shows that pesticide residues in food are a number one worry for 72% of EU consumers, a higher percentage than in 2005.

Questions posed include:

Why I am concerned about the links between chemicals in the environment and cancer? E.g. air pollution, pesticides, chemicals ain water, food & consumer products

Why I think it is important to put greater focus on cancer prevention policies that target environmental exposures?

What I think the EU and Member States could do about this? Why should the EU and Member States focus on this?

The testimonies will contribute to future awareness raising and advocacy work that ECPC and HEAL will be conducting to work on ‘environmental cancer prevention'.

Download Questions on cancer and the environment here.

Campaign information & materials

Gillian Erskine — 2011-04-20T11:55:35Z

Partners : For information on the organisations involved in the Sick of Pesticides campaign, please visit the Contact us section of this website.

Toolkit : Download the toolkit for the Sick of Pesticides campaign titled 6 Steps to pesticide reduction - A guide for communities

Twitter Page : Follow campaign updates by its Twitter page at www.twitter.com/healthandenv

Facebook Page : Join the debate on the Sick of pesticides campaign by its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Sick-of-Pesticides/38411248553 ?ref=ts

Newsletter : Previously, the Sick of Pesticides campaign also published an electronic newsletter on the latest developments of pesticide reduction in the EU, from policy to community action.

Issues : Spring 2011 ; December 2010 ; Autumn 2010 ; Summer 2010 ; April 2010 ; March 2010 ; February 2010 ; January 2010.

If you would like more information on our campaign, please contact us info@env-health.org

HEAL publications & tools

Christina — 2011-03-25T11:19:40Z

Chemicals Health Monitor - Website: for dedicated web pages specific to environmental factors related to cancers: cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

See www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?rubrique9

Chemicals and Disease - News Bulletin: a regular news service providing information on the impact of chemicals on public health from media sources and scientific publications.

Subscribe/Previous issues at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?article152

Chemical Cocktails - Brochure: a leaflet on the opportunities to better implement chemicals legislation to protect human and wildlife health. Produced by HEAL, WWF and CHEMTrust.

See brochure at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?article148

Scientific evidence of breast cancer and exposure to hormonally active chemicals - Report: a review of the scientific evidence that certain chemicals may be implicated in breast cancer, and focuses on the role of hormone disrupting chemicals. Produced by HEAL and CHEMTrust.

See report at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?rubrique100

Factors influencing the risk of breast cancer, established and emerging - Briefing: summarizes the key information on all the risk factors and breast cancer with particular focus on the potential role of certain chemicals in the environment. Written for the general public and breast cancer suffers. Produced by HEAL and CHEMTrust.

See briefing at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?rubrique100

Breast Cancer, preventing the preventable - Leaflet: briefly describes the evidence that hormonally active chemicals may be implicated in breast cancer.

See leaflet at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org/spip.php?rubrique100

Cancer Testimonies: a collection of testimonies from cancer patient groups about cancer and the environment. An initiative from the European Cancer Patient Coalition and HEAL.

See testimonies at http://www.pesticidescancer.eu/IMG/pdf/Living_Downstream_Questions_on_cancer_and_environment.pdf

Men Under Threat, the decline in male reproductive health, and the potential role of exposure to chemicals - Leaflet: briefly describes the evidence that hormonally active chemicals may be implicated in the deterioration of male reproductive health.

See leaflet at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org

Bisphenol A in plastics is it making us sick? - Consumer Guide: explains what the chemical Bisphenol A is and how best it can be avoided.

See guide at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org

What will new EU Chemicals Legislation Deliver for Public Health? - Briefing: a briefing that introduces the new EU law called ‘REACH', and discusses the health problems linked to chemicals; how REACH can bring health benefits; the types of chemicals causing concern; and how members of the health sector can give input to the discussion on the law's implementation.

See briefing at www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org

A vote for my child's health - Postcard & Poster: lists some of the known health consequences of pesticides.

See postcard at www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/HEA_013-07_FINAL.pdf See poster (in French) at www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/Postcard_pesticide_free_spaces_FRENCH.pdf

Pesticides & Cancer - Survey: questionnaire designed to help HEAL and its partners to give feedback to European, national and local politicians on policies related to chemicals. The template may also be employed to send to your local authorities for finding out what pesticides are being used in your area.

See survey at www.pesticidescancer.eu/survey/questions_en.html

Find out which pesticides your school is using! - Questionnaire: directed at the local authorities responsible for the schools themselves.

See questionnaire at www.pesticidescancer.eu/spip.php?rubrique16

Pesticides - a toxic education? A survey of pesticides in UK schools

See report at www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/UK_survey_final_report_220210.pdf

French pesticide 'victims' network: support network for victims of pesticide poisoning created by MDRGF and HEAL.

See website at www.victimes-pesticides.org

Cutting back on pesticides for healthier lives New scientific understanding of health impacts of pesticides demands precautionary policy making – Briefing: this 12-page booklet reviews the scientific evidence of the impacts of pesticides on vulnerable groups, describes why the current risk assessment process does not protect children, and provides information on the serious and growing level of pesticide contamination in Europe. Produced in February 2007 by HEAL and PAN Europe.

See briefing at www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/Briefing_Feb_2007_FINAL.pdf

HEAL member & partners publications

Christina — 2011-03-25T11:19:38Z

Male Reproductive Health Disorders and the Potential Role of Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (CHEMTrust)

See report at http://www.chemtrust.org.uk

Men under threat: A referenced briefing on the decline in male reproductive health and the potential role of exposure to chemicals during in-utero development (CHEMTrust)

See briefing at http://www.chemtrust.org.uk

A review of the role of pesticides play in some cancers: Are children, farmers and pesticides users at risk? (CHEMTrust)

See report at http://www.chemtrust.org.uk

Linking breast cancer and our environment (Women in Europe for a Common Future)

See report at http://www.wecf.eu

Short film on endocrine disrupting chemicals and breast cancer (Breast Cancer UK)

See film in English at http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk See film in French at http://www.reseau-environnement-sante.fr

NAP Best practice Sustainable use of pesticides: Implementing a National Action Plan: A guide to assist and support EU member states in producing their National Action Plans (NAP) as required under the Sustainable Use Directive. Pesticides Action Network (2010).

See guide at http://www.env-health.org/a/3570

List of Lists: a convenient reference for identifying those pesticides associated with particularly harmful health and environmental impacts. Pesticide Action Network UK (2009).

See reference at http://www.pan-uk.org/List%20of%20Lists.html

Sandra Steingraber's blog, raising awareness of the links between environmental pollution and our health.

See blog at http://steingraber.com/blog/

Why current European pesticide legislation fails to protect our health - Briefing No 2 (2004)

See briefing at http://www.pan-europe.info

No More BPA Report (Breast Cancer UK)

See report at http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk

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Resources from the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) Publications

Toxicant and Disease Database: a searchable database that summarizes links between chemical contaminants and approximately 180 human diseases or conditions.

See database at http://www.healthandenvironment.org/tddb

Girl, Disrupted: Hormone Disruptors and Women's Reproductive Health

See (public) report at http://www.healthandenvironment.org

Hormone Disruptors and Women's Health: Reasons for Concern

See brochure (intended for a general audience) at http://www.healthandenvironment.org

"Female reproductive disorders: the roles of endocrine-disrupting compounds and developmental timing"

See scientific review at http://www.healthandenvironment.org

Working Groups:

... Breast Cancer at www.healthandenvironment.org/working_groups/br_cancer
... Cancer at www.healthandenvironment.org/working_groups/cancer

Webpages on specific cancers & environmental factors (below)

... Brain Cancer - http://www.healthandenvironment.org/brain_cancer
... Breast Cancer - http://www.healthandenvironment.org/breast_cancer
... Childhood Leukemia - http://www.healthandenvironment.org/childhood_leukemia
... Ovarian Cancer - http://www.healthandenvironment.org/ovarian_cancer
... Prostate Cancer - http://www.healthandenvironment.org/prostate_cancer
... Testicular Cancer - http://www.healthandenvironment.org/testicular_cancer

Factsheets and brochures on Cancer and Environment: See individual factsheets for topics listed below at http://www.healthandenvironment.org

... Environmental Factors in Cancer: Industrial and Manufacturing Exposures
... Environmental Factors in Cancer: Agricultural Exposures
... Environmental Factors in Cancer: Indoor/Outdoor Air Pollution and Water Contamination
... Environmental Factors in Cancer: Nuclear Fallout, Electromagnetic Fields, and Other Radiation Exposure Indoor/Outdoor Air Pollution and Water Contamination

Science and other materials

Christina — 2011-03-25T11:19:36Z

Listed here are publications, documents and declarations on pesticides and cancer (from Europe and International sources); as well as Declarations and other useful resources .

From Europe:

European Food Safety Agency (EFSA): the keystone of European Union (EU) risk assessment regarding food and feed safety. The EFSA provides reporting on pesti¬cide residue levels on food in each EU country through its EU monitoring survey results, which it publishes annually.

See reports at http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/publications.htm

European Commission, DG environment - Combination effects of chemicals, Eurobarometer 2010: summary acknowledging the near two-thirds of European citizens considering that chemicals affect their health "to a large extent".

See summary at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/effects.htm

Children Health and Environment: A Review of Evidence, WHO Regional Office for Europe and European Environment Agency: a European Parliamentary report that summarizes the benefits of strict cut-off criteria for human health (Health impact assessment of pesticides).

See report at http://reports.eea.eu.int/environmental_issue_report_2002_29/en/eip_29.pdf

Chain of contamination the food link: a report from the WWF (2006).

See report at wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/policy/wwf_europe_environment/initiatives/chemicals/publications/?80900/Chain-of-contamination

Pesticides and Cancer Monograph in Supplement to Revue de la Praticien : a report (in French) from 15 June 2005.

See report at http://www.inma.fr

Cancer and the Environment report from INSERM: a report (in French) from INSERM, a French institute.

See report at http://www.inserm.fr/index.php

Brain tumours and crop treatment products: a report (in French) of a study on “Cerephy” from June 2007.

See report at http://etudes.isped.u-bordeaux2.fr/registres-cancers-aquitaine/Snc/document/Info_cerephy.pdf

Findings on the epidemiology of pesticides - Review: a report (in French).

See review at http://www.pesticide.be/pdf/epidemio-pesticides.pdf

International sources:

Pesticide Action Network International: a global network linking groups, institutions and individuals to respond to the fundamentally international nature of pesticide problems.

See global interactive map at http://www.panna.org/our-community/pan-international

A review of the role of pesticides play in some cancers: Children, farmers and pesticides users at risk?: a report from ChemTrust (2010).

See report at http://www.chemtrust.org.uk/documents/CHEM%20Trust%20Report%20-%20Pesticides%20&%20Cancer%20July%202010.pdf

Pesticide Use and Cutaneous Melanoma in Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Heath Study: a research article by Dennis LK, Lynch CF, Sandler DP, and Alavanja MC (2010).

See article at http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.0901518

Organophosphate Pesticides Linked to ADHD Medscape 2010.

See report at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/721892

Outlawed Insecticide Linked to Prostate Cancer MedPage Today. 2010.

See report at http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/EnvironmentalHealth/20804

2010 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides See guide at http://static.foodnews.org/pdf/EWG-shoppers-guide.pdf

Story of Cosmetics Film: a short film from the makers of the Story of Stuff

See film at http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/

Household Insecticides Appear In Umbilical Cord Blood: Chemical Exposure: The presence of "non-persistent" pesticides suggests that pregnant women experienced recent or chronic exposure. Chemical & Engineering News, 2010.

See report at http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/88/i25/8825news1.html

State of the Art Report on Mixture Toxicity by Prof. Dr. Andreas Kortenkamp (ULSOP); Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Thomas Backhaus (UGOT); Dr. Michael Faust (FBEC) 2009.

See report at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/pdf/report_Mixture%20toxicity.pdf

Mental Health Effects Arising from Pesticide Exposure: A Guide for Healthcare Providers and Mental Health Practitioners: on Mental Health and Environment, produced by a working group of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment.

See guide at http://www.healthandenvironment.org/?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=816

Chlorpyrifos Exposure and Urban Residential Environment Characteristics as Determinants of Early Childhood Neurodevelopment by Lovasi GS, Quinn JW, Rauh VA, Perera FP, Andrews HF, Garfinkel R, Hoepner L, Whyatt R, Rundle A. Am J Public Health. 2010 Mar 18.

See abstract at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20299657

List of Lists: a convenient reference for identifying those pesticides associated with particularly harmful health and environmental impacts. Pesticide Action Network UK (2009).

See reference at http://www.pan-uk.org/List%20of%20Lists.html

Pesticide Exposure and Child Development by Epidemiologist Brenda Eskenazi, Ph.D., discusses her research with farm workers in California

See report at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2010/april/science-pesticide.cfm

Agriculture and Cancer: A need for action report, October 2008 from the Cancer Working Group of the US Collaborative on Health and the Environment (English).

See report at http://www.healthandenvironment.org/?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=581

Cancer Health Effects of Pesticides, Scientific review by the Canadian Family Physicians (CFP)

See report at http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/content/abstract/53/10/1704

Canadian Cancer Society: a website containing a section on Cancer and Environment.

See website at http://www.cancer.ca

Declarations:

Statement on the Control of Pesticides in the European Union, A call for action to protect human health (2008) by the Italian Collegium Ramazzini, an international academy of over 180 experts in environmental sciences and occupational health in 35 countries.

See statement at http://www.collegiumramazzini.org/download/13_ThirteenthCRStatement(2008).pdf

Paris Appeal (2004), International Declaration on diseases due to chemical pollution: it has been signed by hundreds of scientists, close to 1,000 NGOs, more than 150,000 individuals and 2 million European doctors represented by the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME).

See information at http://www.artac.info

Prague Declaration (2005), Prague Declaration on endocrine disruptors: a declaration signed by hundreds of scientists and researchers.

See declaration at http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Consensus/2005-0620praguedeclaration.htm

Other Resources:

Safer chemicals for a Healthier Future: Generations X: Results of WWF's European Family Biomonitoring Survey, WWF (2005).

See survey at http://assets.panda.org/downloads/generationsx.pdf

Monitoring of pesticide residues in products of plant origin in the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechenstein 2003: by the European Commission (2005), SEC (2005) 1399.

See report at http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo/specialreports/pesticide_residues/report_2001_en.pdf

Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1896–2000: by the European Environment Agency (EEA) (2001) Environmental Issue Report No 22, Copenhagen.

See report at http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/environmental_issue_report_2001_22

International briefing paper on the precautionary principle, Pesticides Action Network (2006).

See paper at http://www.panap.net

Danish Pesticide Use Reduction Programme- to Benefit the Environment and the Health (2005) See report at http://www.pan-europe.info/Resources/Reports/Danish_Pesticide_Use_Reduction_Programme.pdf

The inadequacies of the current licensing system for pesticides, in Reducing Pesticide Dependency in Europe to Protect Health, Environment and Biodiversity: Conference Proceedings of the PAN Europe Annual Network Conference 2003.

See proceedings at http://www.pan-europe.info/Archive/conferences/pure2003.pdf

President's Cancer Panel 2010: Environmentally caused cancers are 'grossly underestimated' and 'needlessly devastate American's lives

See report at http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/presidents-cancer-panel

Environmental and Cancer Resources

Christina — 2011-03-25T11:19:35Z

Living Downstream: Community Guide and educational DVD - a collection of lesson plans, review questions, key concepts and extension activities designed for educators.

See DVD and guide at http://www.livingdownstream.com

Reducing Environmental Cancer risk: What We Can Do Now (US Presidents' Cancer Panel Report on Environment & Cancer) - a report by the President's Cancer Panel that focuses on environmental causes of cancer.

See report at http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/annualReports/pcp08-09rpt/PCP_Report_08-09_508.pdf

The Endocrine Disruption Exchange - Prenatal Origins of Cancer (TEDX - The Endocrine Disruption Exchange).

See report at http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/prenatal.cancer.overview.php

The Environment Cancer and You (Canadian Cancer Society).

See report at http://www.cancer.ca

‘State of the Evidence' on Environment and Breast Cancer (Breast Cancer Fund).

Learn about the fund at http://www.breastcancerfund.org/media/publications/state-of-the-evidence

See report at http://www.breastcancerfund.org/assets/pdfs/publications/state-of-the-evidence-2010.pdf

Environnement et Cancers: E-bulletin Prevention (Tour d'horizon / Leefmilieu en kanker) (Belgian Cancer League).

See e-bulletin (in French) at http://www.cancer.be/images/prevention-et-depistage/faq/e-bulletin-prevention-2010-06.pdf

An Environment and Cancer Booklet.

See booklet (in French) at http://www.cancer.be/index.php/actualites/livre-environnement-et-cancers-141/menu-id-4721.html

(And in Dutch) at http://www.kanker.be/index.php/nieuws/boek-leefmilieu-en-kanker-141/id-menu-4722.html

Cancer & the Environment: What health providers should know (US Physicians for Social Responsibility)

See report at http://www.psr.org

Useful links

Christina — 2011-03-25T11:19:33Z

Alliance for Cancer Prevention - UK
Beyond pesticides
Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL) - Belgium
Cancer Prevention and Education Society (CPES) - UK
Clean Air Action Group (CAAG) Hugary
CHEM Trust – UK
Chemicals Health Monitor
Generations Future (formerly MDRGF) – France
Georgina Downs - UK Pesticides Campaign
Health and Environment Alliance, pesticides section
Inter-Environnement Wallonie – Belgium
MDRGF (Mouvement pour les droits et le respect des generations futures)
MDRGF latest studies on pesticides (in French) - Pesticides and Cancer (Multi-Language)
Pesticides Action Network (PAN) UK
Pesticides Action Network (PAN) Europe
Pesticides Action Network (PAN) Germany
SUSTAIN
The Soil Association
Vereniging Leefmilieu - The Netherlands
Week without pesticides
Women's Environmental Network
World Health Organization (WHO)

HEAL Briefing : Reducing cancer through environmental policy change

Gillian Erskine — 2011-03-21T14:57:46Z

"The most valuable approaches to reducing cancer morbidity and mortality lie in avoiding the introduction of carcinogenic agents into the environment and eliminating exposure to carcinogenic agents that are already there" . New England Journal of Medicine, March 2011

Reducing human exposure to environmental carcinogens and other cancer-related chemicals and physical agents is increasingly recognised as a key approach to cancer prevention today. A recent scientific review by the World Health Organization (WHO) defines the burden of chemicals on health as "considerable" and recommends further public health interventions.

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) welcomes the WHO initiative for a Call to Action on environmental and occupational prevention of cancer. HEAL recommends that more attention be given to the environmental and occupational determinants of cancer, especially the removal from the market of chemicals that are carcinogens, mutagens, toxic to reproduction and disruptive to the endocrine system.

This recommendation is included in the recent official US report entitled "Reducing the Environmental Causes of Cancer" by the President's Panel on Cancer. Integrating these recommendations in the WHO's proposed call to action on primary environmental and occupational cancer prevention would ensure that the call reflects the latest understanding of these previously under-recognised cancer risks.

Read the full paper here :

HEAL BRIEFING : Reducing cancer through environmental policy change

Week without pesticides becomes "Pesticides Alternatives Week"

Christina — 2011-03-18T12:11:02Z

More than 600 events are already planned for the 6th week without pesticides, now called "Pesticides Alternatives Week", 20-30 March 2011. They include walk-about events, the launch of a network of pesticide sufferers in France, and an expansion of activities into Africa.

Associations, citizens and companies are invited to organise events to help demonstrate that there are alternatives to pesticides. Suggested activities include information workshops, film shows, debates, and site visits aimed at making people aware of the problems associated with pesticides.

Walk-about demonstrations to say "Yes to Pesticides Alternatives" are planned all over France and in several other countries on Saturday, 26 March.

HEAL is taking part in the launch of the new network called Phyto Victimes, which brings together pesticide sufferers in Ruffec, near Poitiers, France on Saturday 19 March. Project initiator and host, Paul Francois is a conventional farmer who was intoxicated by inhalation of a herbicide. The event includes a screening of “Notre poison quotidien”, which will take place in the presence of the director, Marie-Monique Robin and a press conference about the network launch in which Genon Jensen, Executive Director, HEAL and François Veillerette, spokesperson for Générations Futures will take part.

To highlight the public health dimension and to coincide with the launch of the Week, HEAL has developed a new toolkit for pesticide reduction for communities as part of its Sick of Pesticides campaign. The booklet draws on our international campaign experience on pesticides and health to create a six step guide full of examples and campaign material.

"EU legislation calls for a reduction in pesticide use but governments are not implementing the policy quickly enough. Local initiatives demonstrate the chemical-free options and show that pesticide-free public spaces are possible and healthier," says Anne Stauffer, HEAL Deputy Director.

New partners in this year's Pesticides Alternatives Week include PAN Africa, Nature Parif, le Réseau des Etudiants Français pour le Développement Durable (REFEDD), and la Fondation Nature Vivante. During the Week, a prize will be awarded in the European Parliament for best practice in integrated farming, organised by PAN Europe and the European Beekeeping Coordination.

"We invite all of you who do not accept that intensive pesticide use is an inevitable destiny to join us in organising events during this Week," says François Veillerette, spokesperson for Générations Futures. "The more numerous and united we are, the more we can demonstrate that viable alternatives are both possible and profitable. We must help put an end to the current agricultural model and replace it with "agro-ecology". That way, we won't have to talk anymore about "victimes des pesticides" as we have to today."

Visit "Pesticides Alternatives Week" website at www.semaine-sans-pesticides.fr available in both English and French.

For more information contact:

Anne Stauffer, Policy Director, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)
Email: anne@env-health.org - Tel: +32 2 234 3643 - Mobile: +32 473 711092

Diana Smith, Communications, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)
Email: diana@env-health.org - Tel: +33 1 55 25 25 84 - Mobile: +33 6 33 04 2943

Malissa Phitthayaphone, Generations Futures
Email: semainesanspesticide@free.fr - Tel: +33 1 45 79 07 59

Our daily poison: Film investigates the causes of our cancer epidemic

Christina — 2011-03-14T11:08:55Z

A new film by Marie-Monique Robin, French journalist and film maker will be shown on Arte TV (French and German language television) on Tuesday 15 March 2011 at 20.45. It follows her investigation into the health effects of chemicals used in conventional, intensive farming.

Following the success of her previous film, "The world according to Monsanto" about GMOs, this new enquiry looks at how modes of food production, packaging and consumption are resulting in cancer and other diseases. She gives special attention to pesticides, aspartame and bisphenol A (BPA).

The report takes her to Ruffec, near Poitiers, France where the first meeting of farmers and bystanders affected by pesticide exposure, "victimes des pesticides", took place - an initiative that is supported by Generations Future (formerly MDRGF) and HEAL.

She also visited the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority to demonstrate the inadequate process in which chemicals that contaminate our food chain are tested, evaluated and regulated.

Finally, she explores how certain foods may useful be used to support human immune mechanisms.

Watch the trailer and read more about the film at www.arte.tv/fr/Comprendre-le-monde/Notre-poison-quotidien/3673748.html . The film is also available as a DVD.

For German speakers, see the video interview with Marie-Monique Robin at www.arte.tv/de/Die-Welt-verstehen/3677910.html

For English speakers, the trailer of World according to Monsanto is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8hFuuDAZjkan or an interview with Marie-Monique Robin on the Slow Food International website (2009) at http://sloweb.slowfood.com/sloweb/eng/dettaglio.lasso?cod=3E6E345B0ce4928709NxO1498347 .