§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many scientific papers relating to neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms in human and animal subjects, occurring as a result of exposure to organophosphates, have been placed before the medical and scientific panel of the Veterinary Products Committee and the medical and toxicological panel of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides since 1992; and whether they will place a list of these papers in the Library of the House.
§ Lord DonoughueA total of 144 published scientific papers relating to neurological and neuropsychiatric effects in humans and animals have been placed before the Medical and Scientific Panel of the Veterinary Products Committee. These papers cover studies in fields ranging from epidemiology and clinical case studies to fundamental work on mechanisms of toxicity. The range of organophosphorus compounds studied is also very broad and includes lubricants and nerve gases, as well as pesticides. A list of the papers has been placed in the Library of the House.
No such papers have been put to the Medical and Toxicological Panel of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides since 1992, although the panel is updated from time to time on the results of searches of the scientific literature for issues within its remit. The panel looks only at regulatory issues that are not specific to particular compounds, and then only at the direction of the Advisory Committee. All compound-specific issues go direct to the Advisory Committee and the resultant evaluation documents are published.