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Pesticide Action Network

Pesticide Action Network

National Pesticide Researchers to Speak Out on Scientific Integrity at Bay Area Event

Top glyphosate, atrazine researchers to share stories of corporate intimidation on May 6th

Oakland, California – As recent national marches for Science made clear, scientists are increasingly willing to leave the labs and publicly defend the value of science. Research on the health and environmental effects of pesticides is both particularly important to sound policy decisions — and a particular target for pressure from the corporations who manufacture pesticide products.

On May 6, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) will host a public conversation with two prominent scientists who have direct experience with this corporate intimidation.

Dr. Warren Porter is an environmental toxicologist with the University of Wisconsin, Madison whose research focuses on the health impacts of exposure to multiple pesticides, including Monsanto’s controversial herbicide, glyphosate.

Science continues to confirm the risks to human health posed by our incredibly widespread use of ‘RoundUp Ready’ products,” says Porter. “In response, Monsanto has ramped up their efforts to discredit independent research and researchers. As one targeted by a large chemical company and knowing several colleagues studying health effects of pesticides and similarly targeted, I can tell you it’s disheartening and deeply disturbing.

Dr. Tyrone Hayes is a biologist at the University of California, Berkeley whose research on the reproductive effects of atrazine led the Syngenta Corporation to withdraw all support for his work and launch a public campaign to undermine his credibility.

Independent science has never been more important — and more under fire,” says Hayes. “Now more than ever it’s critical that scientists stand up and speak out about the importance of scientific integrity.

The event will highlight a summary of current research on the human health impacts of these widely-used weedkillers. Monsanto’s glyphosate has won recent headlines for both emerging evidence of human health harms (links to cancer, endocrine system and developmental harms) and for evidence of the corporation’s inappropriate influence on regulatory agencies. Syngenta’s atrazine, which has been banned in Europe for more than a decade, has been linked to reproductive harms, birth defects and cancer. It continues to be widely used in agriculture and is found in water supplies across the country. 

The researchers will also share their personal experiences of how the corporations making these controversial herbicides attempt to influence — or block — independent research, and their thoughts on how best to protect scientific integrity.

The discussion is free and open to the public and will take place Saturday, May 6 from 4:30pm to 6pm at the East Bay Community Foundation, 343 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. Seating is limited; please RSVP here.

Both scientists are available for interviews in the days prior to the event.

Contact: Paul Towers, ptowers@panna.org, 916-216-1082

 

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Pesticide Action Network

Pesticide Action Network

Pesticide Action Network is dedicated to advancing alternatives to pesticides worldwide. Follow @pesticideaction

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