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Dr. Infante Dropped From EPA Panel Investigating Glyphosate

Amy Martyn reported in Consumer Affairs that Dr. Peter Infante had been removed from the list of scientists that have been tasked to review glyphosate's cancer-causing potential for the US EPA.

Infante, an epidemiologist, environmental health researcher, and consultant, has spent over two decades working for the federal government in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Infante, according to the EPA's descriptions of him (pdf), "played a major role in determining cancer and other risks to workers during the development of standards for a number of toxic substances, including asbestos, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, lead and MDA."

The article reports that CropLifeAmerica, a trade group that represents Monsanto and other pesticide-makers, wrote a letter to the EPA in October publicly complaining about Infante's inclusion on the panel evaluating glyphosate. In the past, Infante "has taken radical anti-pesticide positions," the members wrote, and has also testified as an expert witness in lawsuits against Monsanto, which they argued caused him to be biased.

Infante defended his credentials and his work in a letter that he fired back to the EPA in response to CropLifeAmerica. Infante acknowledged that he has testified in cases in which Monsanto was a defendant, but he said all of those cases concerned the chemical vinyl chloride (VC), not glyphosate.

"I was asked to opine whether there was a connection between VC and these rare liver cancers. My testimony was not for or 'against Monsanto,'" Infante wrote. "I have no special interest in regard to glyphosate. I have not been involved in any litigation involving glyphosate nor have I formed any opinion on this issue....I have also not worked on behalf of industry regarding glyphosate."

Several days before the planned October 18 date the panel was scheduled to convene, the EPA delayed its review of glyphosate. The panel did convene in mid-December, two months later than originally planned. And according to a list of experts (pdf) provided by the EPA, Infante is no longer one of the researchers who will review glyphosate’s cancer-causing potential.

EPA spokesman Cathy Milbourn sent ConsumerAffairs an online statement, in which the EPA blamed scheduling issues and experts' availability for delaying the panel.

Milbourn would not comment on the new list of researchers, in which Infante is no longer included. "EPA does not comment on personnel matters," Milbourn said.


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