OP News : December 2007

A lot is happening, but without much response from the government. Last month we learnt that the COT committee (The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment) carried out a review of recent research papers on OPs. This committee used to operate under the Department of Health, however, without anyone being told, it is now working under the Food Standards Agency. Why?

The old COT committee published a report in 1999 on OPs and human health. Members came down to Exeter to meet OPIN as part of their enquiry. The report said that more research must be carried out. This new COT report is reviewing this new research. After a great deal of telephoning and emailing we discovered that they are only looking at those papers being sent to it by the Veterinary Medicines Committee (VMD). As this is the body which has licensed and advised on OPs all along you will see the pattern.

OPIN was sent the minutes of the COT committee meeting on 4 September. We went through this very carefully and wrote a critical comment on many items which we passed to Lord Paul Tyler, who is forwarding it to Lord Jeff Rooker, who is the person to whom COT is to report.

OPIN has been given two new OP research papers from a scientist at the Medical Research Council, which has looked into the effect of very low exposures of OPs on an enzyme, neuropathy target esterase, in the brain, and found that this can cause instant or delayed toxic effects. The COT reply, and that of the VMD, was that they are only looking at those papers which the VMD chooses.

OPIN has now done a long review of a large number of British scientific and government papers about the effects of OPs, going back to 1951. This is being submitted to Lord Rooker, by Lord Tyler, to make sure that he has a good picture of OPs. Anyone wishing to have a copy of this review can contact OPIN at the address below.

The Aerotoxic Association, which campaigns for pilots, is very interested in our review, and had a meeting at the House of Commons last month, they are doing good work. Interestingly enough a pilot named Susan Michaelis prepared a long document, listing OP incidents from many parts of the world, but the Minister of Transport would not allow her to present it to them. We work closely with the Aerotoxic Association, and the journalist, Christopher Booker, writes in the Daily Telegraph and Private Eye magazine about both campaigns. Several TV journalists are keeping a close eye on it all. The Aerotoxic Association is putting together a powerful case for aircrew and passengers who have been subjected to OPs in certain aircraft, and Australia has admitted this has caused severe health damage. BBC Panorama is putting together a film on this subject to be shown in the New Year.

A Somerset OP sufferer, David Hincks, wrote to the Prime Minister, giving an excellent history of his OP exposure and chronic symptoms; there was no acknowledgement of this letter, but David got a letter back from the VMD, saying that they are waiting for the new COT report!

At last we may have caused some consternation among the "powers that be" now that there are three groups of sufferers who all have obvious histories of exposures to OPs, and a strong body of evidence supporting their claims of ill-health. Surely some people in positions of power and influence must, at least, admit the truth.

OPIN keeps in close touch with Professor Malcom Hooper, who is fighting for justice for people who are suffering a variety of disabling symptoms from their service in Gulf War 1; the Americans have admitted that this case is just.

We are glad to be able to tell you that Dr Sarah Myhill, who has given so much help and sympathetic understanding to so many OP sufferers, has survived a nasty fall from her horse and is well on the way to recovery; even riding again already. We are all so grateful to her for her brave support for the cause.

Keep up your spirits, there is always hope. Have a happy Christmas, when it comes, and let us pray for a better New Year.