'Organophosphates'

A report by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals In Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), November 1999

The COT set up a Working Group to consider whether single, prolonged or repeated exposure to low doses of organophosphates can cause long-term adverse health effects. Low doses were defined as those which do not produce overt acute (short-term) toxicity accompanied by recognised clinical symptoms or signs of acute toxicity.

The conclusions of the report, which can be found in the report's summary here (archive of the Food Standards Agency) and from where the complete report can also be downloaded, are given under the following headings:

• Long-term sequelae of acute poisoning
  • neuropsychological outcomes
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • psychiatric illness
• Prolonged low-level exposure
  • neuropsychological outcomes
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • psychiatric illness
• Acute exposure to OPs at a lower dose than causes frank toxicity [overt toxicity]
• Answers to questions posed by the Official Group on OPs
• Monitoring of human adverse effects
• Outstanding issues
• Recommendations for further research