Glyphosate [N-(phosphono-methyl)glycine] is a broad-spectrum organophosphorus systemic herbicide and crop desiccant. More specifically, it is a phosphonate––used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with agricultural crops. An ongoing controversy (more intense in the EU than in the rest of the world) involves whether or not Glyophosate is cancer-causing (carcinogenic).
For those interested, please note that there has just recently appeared:
a Special Issue of Critical Reviews in Toxicology (CRT), Vol. 46, titled “An Independent Review of the Carcinogenic Potential of Glyphosate”.
This issue has been published online and can be accessed via the following link: http://tandfonline.com/toc/itxc20/46/sup1?nav=tocList .
The issue begins with a brief foreword by Roger O McClellan, DVM, MMS, DSc[Honorary], Diplomate-ABT, followed by five papers prepared by the Glyophosphate Panel. It is especially worth noting the comprehensive “Declaration of Interests” statements for each of the papers. Such DOI statements routinely accompany each article published in CRT. These strong statements are probably among the most comprehensive published today in scientific journals.
It is also worth noting that the papers were extensively reviewed by a total of 27 independent Reviewers; several individuals reviewed all five papers..!! The Reviewers’ comments proved very useful to the authors and contributed to increasing the overall quality of the published papers and the entire Special Issue.
It is my understanding that the US Environmental Protection AGency (EPA) will be holding a 3-day meeting later this month focusing on Glyphosate. The papers in this Special Issue are available (open access) which should encourage readership. I understand that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has become quite interested in Glyophosate. Also, the broader issue of how the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) approaches evaluating the “carcinogenic hazard” of various agents is becoming of increasing concern and interest.