August 1, 2007

Contents:

1. FEATURE: UBC Chemicals, Health and Pregnancy Study Seeks Expectant Mums
2. UPDATE: New Canadian Report Notes Greater Environmental Risks to Boys
3. UPDATE: Comments Requested on GM Product Submitted for Canadian Approval

__________

FEATURE: UBC Chemicals, Health and Pregnancy Study Seeks Expectant Mums

Newly pregnant? Interested in learning about the chemicals in your environment? Many chemicals, including flame retardants (such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs) and stain and water repellents (such as perfluorinated compounds or PFCs) are found in the home and workplace environment. Some of these chemicals leach out of consumer products and build up in human tissues.

UBC researchers are investigating whether these chemicals, which are found at low levels in all Canadians, have an influence on thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy. This question is important because thyroid hormones help to control fetal brain development. Researchers are also trying to identify the main sources of human exposure to these chemicals.

This study will help to determine if the levels of PBDEs and PFCs found in the Vancouver region might be of concern for public health, and will teach us how to reduce exposures to these chemicals in the future.

The study is currently recruiting pregnant women from the Vancouver area who are less than 15 weeks pregnant, and are planning to deliver at either BC Women`s, St. Paul`s hospital or at home.

For more information, please visit www.cher.ubc.ca/chirp, or call Glenys at 604 827-5454.

__________

UPDATE: New Canadian Report Notes Greater Environmental Risks to Boys

The Canadian Partnership for Children`s Health and Environment urges greater awareness among parents, especially fathers, about environmental risks to boys in a new report.

`All children are at risk from exposure to environmental hazards, but boys appear to be at greater risk,` said Dr. Lynn Marshall, with the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

The report summarizes the evidence about environmental risks to boys. `For health outcomes such as asthma, cancer, learning and behavioural problems and birth defects, the boys are faring worse than the girls,` noted Loren Vanderlinden, with Toronto Public Health.

More at http://www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca/english/news...

__________

UPDATE: Comments Requested on GM Product Submitted for Canadian Approval

The CFIA and Health Canada (HC) have received a submission from BASF Canada seeking an approval for environmental release, livestock feed, and food use for Brassica juncea, which has been developed for herbicide tolerance using conventional methods (mutagenesis and breeding). They are requesting submission comments from anyone interested.

More at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/bio/subs/...

AND

Monsanto`s Roundup RReady2Yield Soybean Completes Regulatory Process in US and Canada
http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/newsmaker_articl...

AND

GMOs Next Global Lightning Rod Issue
http://www.checkbiotech.org/green_News_Genetics.aspx...