Farmers call for herbicide ban amid fears of Parkinson’s disease risk

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Author: Scarlett SherriffPublished: 7 April 2022

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‘Paraquat’ is a popular herbicide that was first manufactured in the 1960s. Now, UK farmers have called for a ban on the weedkiller’s production over Parkinson’s fears.

According to a BBC news report, this demand follows an ongoing lawsuit against the weedkiller’s manufacturer, Syngenta, which has been led by a group of nearly 900 farm workers in the US. The lawsuit claims that there is a link between paraquat usage and Parkinson’s, and that the agrichemical company has hidden health risks from authorities.

However, the article notes there is “no scientific consensus and many conflicting studies on any possible association between paraquat and Parkinson’s” – and in a press release responding to the BBC broadcast, Syngenta “strongly refutes… that exposure to the active ingredient paraquat is linked to the development of Parkinson’s”.

For more information on the latest Parkinson’s disease research, please visit Parkinson’s Europe website.

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Farmers call for herbicide ban amid fears of Parkinson’s disease risk

News

Author: Scarlett SherriffPublished: 7 April 2022

Prep: Cook: Serves:

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Ask the expert: Can environmental factors cause Parkinson’s?

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Pesticide that increases Parkinson’s risk by 150% reapproved in the US

News

Pesticides could cause Parkinson’s, research finds

Parkinson’s Europe co-founder Lizzie Graham wins World Parkinson Coalition award

Study explores predictors of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease

Could frailty be a potential risk factor for Parkinson’s disease?

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Farmers call for herbicide ban amid fears of Parkinson’s disease risk

News

Author: Scarlett SherriffPublished: 7 April 2022

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Share this story

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Ask the expert: Can environmental factors cause Parkinson’s?

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