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06/06/2018 —
News

Philippe Reignault appointed Director of the Plant Health Laboratory and Director of Plant Health at ANSES

On 4 June, Philippe Reignault was appointed Director of the ANSES Plant Health Laboratory and will also take over from Charles Manceau as Director of Plant Health, with effect from July. Professor of Plant Biology and Diseases at the Littoral Côte d'Opale University since 2010 and Chair of ANSES's Expert Committee on Plant Health since 2012, he will now be responsible for overall coordination of ANSES's scientific work in plant health and protection.
Cancers Professionnels
06/06/2018 —
News

National Network for the Monitoring and Prevention of Occupational Diseases: new data published on cancers of occupational origin

At the 35 th French occupational medicine and health congress (CNMST) held in Marseille from 5 to 8 June 2018, ANSES presented for the very first time data on cancers of occupational origin collected by the National Network for Monitoring and Prevention of Occupational Diseases (RNV3P) coordinated by the Agency. These data are used to build up a comprehensive picture of the cancers associated with occupational exposure situations, in order toidentify the industry sectors and situations most at risk, with a view to prevention.
Néonicotinoïdes
30/05/2018 —
News

Risks and benefits of plant protection products containing neonicotinoids compared with their alternatives

In 2016, as part of the implementation of the Act "for the restoration of biodiversity, nature and landscapes” and as requested by the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Ecology, ANSES initiated an assessment weighing up the risks and benefits of plant protection products containing neonicotinoids, compared with their chemical and non-chemical alternatives. Today, ANSES is publishing its final opinion. For most uses of plant protection products containing neonicotinoids, sufficiently effective and operational chemical and non-chemical alternatives were identified. However, it was not possible to identify chemical substances or classes of substances with overall risk profiles less unfavourable than that of neonicotinoids. The Agency also emphasises that the impact of the ban on neonicotinoids on agricultural activity is difficult to anticipate, and recommends speeding up the provision of effective alternative methods for crop protection and management that are safer for humans and the environment.
25/05/2018 —
News

Nosocomial infections can also be caused by the Bacillus cereus bacterium

While Bacillus cereus is well known as a source of food infections, researchers from INRA and ANSES, working with doctors at nine French hospitals[1] including those in the Paris Public Hospital System (AP-HP), have demonstrated for the first time that this bacterium is also responsible for inter- and intra-hospital nosocomial contamination. This study, conducted in 39 patients between 2008 and 2012, also found strains of B. cereus in the hospital environment capable of causing infections that can sometimes be fatal. These results, published in PLOS ONE , suggest that more attention should be paid to these hospital infections, in order to improve patient care.
24/05/2018 —
News

Three questions for Gilles Salvat, ANSES Managing Director General for Research and Reference

As Reference Delegation Day is held at ANSES, bringing together representatives of national and European reference laboratories, Gilles Salvat, Managing Director General for Research and Reference, gives us an overview of this essential part of ANSES's work.
Slime
04/05/2018 —
News

Slime: a very popular toy putty that is not without risk

ANSES and the DGCCRF are alerting consumers to the risks associated with making and handling "slime". Slime, a sticky and elastic putty for kneading, is currently very popular with children and adolescents. It is commercially available in ready-to-use form or in kits. It can also be made at home, in order to vary its appearance and texture (by adding colour, glitter, etc.). Tutorials on how to make slime have proliferated on the Internet and offer many recipes, based on ingredients such as paper glue and laundry detergent. Several cases of skin reactions related to the making and handling of "home-made" slime have been reported to ANSES by the poison control centres, the Revidal-Gerda dermato-allergology vigilance network and the AllergOS network. This led ANSES and the DGCCRF to draw attention to the risks associated with contact with toxic products, when misused for the making and handling of "home-made" slime. They also have called on users of the kits sold in toy shops to comply with the precautions for use.
Alternatives Antibiotiques Elevages
27/04/2018 —
News

ANSES assesses the efficacy and safety of alternatives to antibiotics in animal husbandry and considers the need for a specific status for these products

Today, the Agency is publishing an inventory of alternatives to antibiotics aimed at reducing their use in animal husbandry and based on an original method for evaluating the diverse scientific publications in the field. In its report, ANSES identifies numerous products and substances including compounds, plants, plant extracts and micro-organisms, which are used as alternatives to antibiotics. However, it emphasises the diversity of the data available to assess their safety and efficacy, and their ability to select resistant bacteria. ANSES also stresses the need to reflect on which classes of alternatives intended for use in the main animal production sectors should get first priority for in-depth research to remove uncertainties about their efficacy and safety. In addition, the Agency recommends raising the issue of the legal status of these products at the European level as part of the plan to tackle antibiotic resistance, in order to investigate the relevance and feasibility of creating a specific status for products contributing to a reduction in the use of antibiotics, without considering them as veterinary medicinal products.
Bien Etre Animal
25/04/2018 —
News

ANSES proposes a definition of animal welfare and sets the foundation for its research and expert appraisal work

Basing itself on philosophical, social and legal interpretations of the concept of animal welfare, this Opinion proposes a definition of animal welfare that takes into account developments in scientific knowledge and summarises analyses by experts regarding the methods required for its assessment. The Opinion identifies numerous assessment grids aiming to objectively measure the conditions for animal welfare and encourages the development of specific tools depending on the species, development stage and environmental conditions of the animals. It provides an essential framework for ANSES's future research and expert appraisal work, and will serve as a basis for subsequent Opinions in this area.
Virus Alimentation
24/04/2018 —
News

Viruses in food: a new national reference mandate for ANSES's Laboratory for Food Safety

ANSES's Laboratory for Food Safety in Maisons-Alfort has just been appointed National Reference Laboratory for the detection of "foodborne viruses in foodstuffs of animal origin excluding shellfish". This new mandate, which is a major step forward in strengthening public health regarding foodborne viruses, adds to the 13 national and two European mandates already held by this laboratory. This new mission further strengthens ANSES's commitment to addressing major health issues.

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