Courts to the rescue as scientists slumber

The masses should be told whether it is the food they eat, their lifestyle or cosmetics they apply that cause some cancers. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Cancer patients or their families have, in recent times, convinced the courts that they had been exposed to certain products and developed cancers.
  • If these rulings are anything to go by, did the world have to wait for this long, for millions of people to suffer and lose lives?

  • Will science take the bullet and choose public safety over the billions of dollars from commercialisation of carcinogens?

Cancer is, probably, among the mind boggling diseases. It is, probably, among the most researched areas in modern-day medicine, with a cure yet to be discovered.

A lot is, therefore, known and documented on this condition in oncology textbooks and peer-reviewed journal articles by scientists and academicians.

Ironically, not much has been done by the authorities towards regulatory and preventive policy directives on cancer-causing compounds (carcinogens) of commercial value.

AGROCHEMICALS

Carcinogens have found commercial use in multi-billion-dollar agrochemical, food and cosmetics industries over the years. When the dust settles on this matter, the world will be shocked to learn of the injustice meted out to the masses by the big multinationals.

However, the courts might provide this long-awaited epiphany in the fight against cancer. Two groups of court cases in the US involving two gigantic companies in the agrochemicals and cosmetics sectors and cancer patients is brewing a storm.

In a David-versus-Goliath style contest, the complainants (cancer patients or their families) have, in recent times, convinced the courts that they had been exposed to certain agrochemicals or used for a long time a particular cosmetic and developed cancers.

Authentic researches have confirmed that the chemicals in question are, indeed, carcinogenic. But there are also findings to the contrary.

Glyphosate and talc, the active ingredients in the evidence tabled, are known within the scientific realms to be carcinogenic. Many global conferences have been held around the safety of glyphosate, not to mention its abuse in herbicides. There is talk of the accused working with scientists and academicians to engineer research in their favour.

CARCINOGENIC

Last year, an environmental working group, a consumer advocacy group in the US, released a report showing dangerously high levels of glyphosate common oat-based snacks, putting at risk young children, their greatest consumers. It is time similar research was done on corn.

The courts have awarded hefty cash pay-outs.

Thousands of cancer patients or their families have reportedly filed similar cases in the US; it’s a matter of time before we see a pandemic of awards in damages, redefining use of carcinogens in the commercial sector.

The lawyers won the cases largely on the premise that both companies were aware of the carcinogenic effects of the ingredients of their products but did not warn users as required by consumer protection laws and might have suppressed any objective research pointing to the harmful effects.

But where have the international research, health and consumer protection organisations been all this time? If these rulings are anything to go by, did the world have to wait for this long, for millions of people to suffer and lose lives?

UNORTHODOX

Health politics must take on a new dimension and scientists give an objective verdict. The courts seem to have come to the rescue of the masses by taking an unorthodox view of events.

Scientists must dig deeper in the laboratories, policymakers scratch their heads and the masses seek to know. The masses should be told whether it is the food they eat, their lifestyle or cosmetics they apply that cause some cancers.

Law has encroached on science territory; will science take the bullet and choose public safety over the billions of dollars from commercialisation of carcinogens?

Dr Othieno is a veterinary doctor based in Nairobi. [email protected]