As I indicated in a previous post, herewith is an update on the so-called
ZIKA VIRUS
Recent evidence is surfacing showing that a larvicide called pyriproxyfen may actually be to blame. What's more, biotech giant Monsanto is taking some heat for it. Monsanto isn’t too happy about what it calls ‘rumors,' writing statements regarding what it calls misinformation. Meanwhile, the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil is suspending the use of pyriproxyfen in light of the surfaced evidence. Read more at EcoWatch about the Larvicide at the center of the controversy.
NaturalSocietyNews reports:
Those ‘rumors’ are strong enough, though, that the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil is suspending the use of pyriproxyfen – a chemical added to drinking water to stop the growth of mosquito larvae.
The state government said, “the suspension was communicated to the 19 Regional Health Coordinating Authorities, which in turn will inform the respective Municipal Monitoring services” in all cities in the state.
This followed the release of a report written by doctors with the Argentina-based Physicians in the Crop-Sprayed Towns organization and the Brazilian Collective Health Association, or Abrasco, who questioned whether the larvicide might be linked with microcephaly.
Rio Grande do Sul Health Secretary Joao Gabbardo said that, despite the fact that a relationship between the larvicide and microcephaly has not been proven, the “suspicion” that there may be a linkage had led the organizations to decide to “suspend” the use of the chemical.
The health secretary said that they cannot ‘run the risk’ of causing more cases of microcephaly, simply because they refused to intervene.
Health Minister Marcelo Castro had a differing opinion which more closely matches Monsanto’s. He said that the larvicide supplied by his ministry presents no danger to the public.
“That is a rumor lacking logic and sense. It has no basis. (The larvicide) is approved by (the National Sanitary Monitoring Agency) and is used worldwide. Pyriproxyfen is recognized by all regulatory agencies in the whole world,” Castro told reporters in the northeastern city of Salvador.
Pyriproxyfen has been used in a massive government-run program tasked to control the mosquito population in the country. Pyriproxyfen is a larvicide manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical, a subsidiary company associated [PDF] with Monsanto.
READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE.
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