The VPC Working Group amends its first draft report in the light of comments made at and since the July meeting. The amended report may be referred to the VPC in January 2004 and then to ministers.

Ben Bradshaw MP, minister at DEFRA, has dropped proposals for a seminar to discuss developments in research on OPs. He has concluded that "the expense to the taxpayer and officials' time in holding such a seminar could not be justified when there is little or nothing new to say at this time". Instead, members of the All Party Group on OPs are to be updated by the Chief Veterinary Officer on the latest position on government-sponsored OP research. The media will be given a separate briefing.

The VPC Working Group meets with interested parties for consultation on the first draft report of the review of the Suspected Adverse Reactions Reporting Scheme (SARRS). OPIN had previously submitted comments to the Working Group.

The Health and Safety Executive publishes a report of a project which investigated the risks to sheep dippers of suffering short-term ill-health associated with organophosphates. Researchers looked for overt, acute toxic effects with recognised clinical signs and symptoms occurring over a short period of time immediately following exposure. Risk assessment for acute toxicity from sheep ectoparasite treatments, including organophosphates (OPs) used in plunge dipping, HSL/2002/26 (www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl/assessmt.htm).

A review of the Suspected Adverse Reactions Reporting Scheme (SARRS) has been completed and a draft report has been presented to the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) for discussion. The review was setup in December 2001 and carried out by a Working Group established by the VPC. Interested parties will be discussing the report with the VPC before a final report goes to Ministers. OPIN has submitted comments on the scheme.

Farmers who suffer ill-health after dipping sheep with organophosphates may receive assistance in their search for compensation from Michael Meacher, the Environment minister in DEFRA, according to a report in the Farmers Guardian. Meacher has long been interested in the OP issue, having produced a briefing Dangerous Dips in November 1996 which called for 'urgent action on OP poisoning'. He has met OP sufferers, campaigners and scientists and is now arranging a summit meeting to bring together interested parties.

Researchers at the University of Leeds have made a major step forward in developing a vaccine to control the spread of sheep scab. The University school of biology have been working with scientists at the Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh, the Veterinary Laboratory Agency and The University of Aberdeen to develop non-chemical means to control scab. The work is part of a multi-million pound DEFRA-funded national programme to reduce the use of dangerous chemicals by farmers. (See here for University of Leeds newsletter)