Toxicity report on organophosphates

Citation

(2000), "Toxicity report on organophosphates", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 30 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2000.01730dab.002

Toxicity report on organophosphates

Toxicity report on organophosphates

A report on the human health effects of organophosphates (OPs) was presented at the end of 1999. The COT Working Group on OPs was set up in 1998 under the chairmanship of Professor Frank Woods to review the evidence on the possible ill-health effects of OPs. It was required to find out whether prolonged or repeated low level exposure to OPs or acute exposure to OPs at a lower dose than causing frank intoxication can cause chronic ill-health effects. It concluded that the balance of evidence does not support such exposure causing peripheral neuropathy or clinically significant neuropsychological effects. Peripheral neuropathy is defined as a disorder affecting the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Neuropsychological is defined as relating to the function of the central nervous system as measured by behaviour. If such effects do occur the report concludes that they must be relatively uncommon. Copies of the report are available from: The Department of Health, PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH.