EU's consumer protection institute publishes 2005 report
The Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), part of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), has published its annual report for 2005, with the latest information on the risks to public health of new technologies, such as GMOs, pesticides or contaminants. The IHCP researches areas directly related to EU legislation, in relation to public health. Achievements included detection of the unauthorised GMO Bt10 maize, which was accidentally introduced into the EU food chain through US imports, and progress towards agreement on the REACH chemicals policy. The GMOs unit has now developed 'the validation of 12 methods for the detection and quantification of GMOs', according to the report. This has been particularly important as an import from the US was found to contain a GMO, Bt10 maize, which is unauthorised in the EU, and the measures have been used to detect this GMO. The IHCP will also be instrumental in the REACH chemicals policy. This will require the identification of some 30,000 chemicals, but shifting the burden of proof from authorities to industry. The JRC is 'responsible for the development of guidance documents as well as the IT [information technology] tools which will enable the legislation to be implemented efficiently and cost-effectively', according to the report. The IHCP also developed 20 risk assessment reports into High Expected Regulatory Outcome (HERO) substances, such as flame retardants and detergents. Another field in which the IHCP works is the development of alternatives to animal testing. And the annual report identifies a problem: 'Whereas REACH will significantly reduce the unknown health threats of chemicals it will nevertheless require a considerable number of tests to be conducted on animals, unless reliable alternatives can be found,' reads the report. The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) is, 'currently in the process of performing and/or preparing validation activities that involve some 40 tests in various areas of toxicity testing', which will reduce the number of animal tests. For human exposure, the IHCP has developed the European Exposure Assessment Toolbox, which evaluates the exposure risk to citizens when exposed to various chemicals. In sampling volatile organic compounds, the Institute found that in nine European cities, '45 per cent of all cases of personal-exposure concentrations of benzene in air samples compared with 25 per cent of outdoor concentrations and 30 per cent of indoor concentrations exceeded the annual mean limit', which should be met by 2010. The Institute is also harmonising exposure models between the EU, the US and Canada, to give common protocols. The Institute has also been involved in several European nanotechnology projects, including the study of the toxicology of nanoparticles. Work here has 'recently included the development of polystyrene microspheres which allow controlled immobilisation of antibodies against microcystines, and the development of novel bio-sensors for the measurement of cell toxicology in vitro', reads the report. Finally, the IHCP now has a Cyclotron, for collaborative research into medical isotopes, for cancer therapies and Copper-64 for both therapy and imaging. The Cyclotron also produces Flourine-18 commercially and has also enabled the testing of ceramic-ceramic hip joints, which have ultra-low wear compared to standard combinations. For 2006, the Institute will develop new systems for micro- and nanoparticle activation for tumour therapy, and lead the European cyclotron networking initiative.