An article published in the peer-reviewed Medicolegal and Bioethics presents a rare challenge not just to the ethics but also to the science of using non human primates in research.
More Press Releases
Adverse drug reactions kill 197,000 Europeans annually
Jun 23, ’11
09:05 AM
In a letter addressed to EU Commissioner John Dalli, Antidote Europe points to the growing number of scientists who consider animal tests to be about as predictive as, or less than, tossing a coin.
Patients are now the real guinea pigs
Jan 6, ’11
12:48 PM
Antidote Europe welcomes recent French media reports warning the public about dangerous medicines.
BBC presenter Uhlenbroek joins scientists on campaign
Oct 12, ’10
09:00 AM
The campaign’s report presents an immediate science strategy to end poisoning tests on non-human primates.
Making a molehill out of the Bisphenol A mountain
Jul 6, ’10
02:45 PM
Antidote Europe has criticised the French government for taking very timid measures to ban the synthetic chemical bisphenol A (BPA). It makes no sense to protect nursing infants by banning the substance in baby bottles when their mothers are exposed to it on a daily basis — not to mention the effect on the foetuses of pregnant women.
Another warning about bisphenol A
Feb 10, ’10
06:39 AM
Antidote Europe has re-issued its warning on bisphenol A, criticizing the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) on its confused and unclear public announcements regarding this chemical.
Antidote Europe receives achievement award
Nov 26, ’09
06:47 AM
Antidote Europe was awarded the Pietro Croce prize.
Is Bisphenol A the new silent killer?
Aug 5, ’09
07:03 AM
Antidote Europe has launched a public campaign regarding the dangers of bisphenol A and has duly informed the new president of the European Parliament.
EU directive lags woefully behind the science
Mar 30, ’09
08:17 AM
With a crucial vote about to take place on Tuesday 31st March, by the Agriculture Committee (AGRI) of the European Parliament, Antidote Europe has written to all members of this committee, urging them to include a clause in the revised version of the 86/609 directive, to facilitate the adoption of any scientifically sound, non animal method, based on the “weight of evidence” principle. Such a clause would significantly increase the scope and application of non animal methods in practice.
Press Releases
Bisphenol A, a chemical time bomb?
Date
Wed 8 Jul 2009
Summary
It is difficult to understand why food safety agencies continue to place their trust in ambiguous animal data when human data is readily available. The fact that DES and BPA share striking similarities in their structures is extremely worrisome and lends weight to the possibility that BPA is a “chemical time bomb” in terms of our health.
Antidote Europe welcomes the decision by the French Secretary of State for Ecology, Ms Chantal Jouanno, to instruct the national Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) to take a closer look at the chemical bisphenol A (BPA).
Laboratory results obtained by Antidote Europe suggest that BPA could be a “chemical time bomb” 1. Originally manufactured in 1936 as a synthetic oestrogen for women, it was soon discarded and replaced by a much more powerful synthetic oestrogen, called diethyl stilbestrol (DES). Between the 1940s and the 1970s, DES was prescribed to 200 000 French women to prevent miscarriage, resulting in one of the biggest drug tragedies in modern times. In addition to causing malformations and cancer in the reproductive organs of children born to DES mothers, these effects were seen in some of their grandchildren as well, especially in girls. Unlike DES, we are all unknowingly exposed to BPA on a daily basis because of its presence in so many manufactured articles, ranging from dummies to plastic drinking bottles and the linings of tinned food and beverages. DES and BPA share strikingly similar structures, hence the concern that BPA may have similar biological activity to DES 2.
“According to “experts”’:http://antidote-europe.org/cp25aou08_gb.htm who have largely relied on animal data, BPA poses only a “mild” or “insignificant” risk to humans, despite the fact that this chemical continues to build up in our bodies. These same experts also tell us that pregnant women and their unborn foetuses have nothing to fear because “pregnant women rapidly metabolise and excrete this chemical”. Surely these experts must know that the speed at which a substance is broken down and passed out of the body has nothing to do with its biological activity while it is inside the body? Otherwise medical drugs would have no effect! This is a basic principle of pharmacokinetics (drug action).
These facts have been conveyed to the French Minister for Ecology.
1. See http://www.antidote-europe.org/cp25jun07_gb.htm for registration of results in an international scientific database
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