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PNR-EST
17/12/2019 —
News

National Research Programme for Environmental and Occupational Health: 40 projects selected, 6.5 million euros mobilised for the 2019 calls for research projects

Today, ANSES is publishing the list of projects selected as part of its two 2019 calls for research projects for the National Research Programme for Environmental and Occupational Health, with the first for projects on a general theme, and the second on the theme of "radiofrequencies and health". Following the selection process, 40 projects will be given funding totalling 6.5 million euros.
16/12/2019 —
News

ANSES publishes its work programme for 2020

ANSES's work programme sets the course for its actions in all its areas of expertise: food, animal health and welfare, environmental health, plant health and protection, and occupational health. The 2020 programme confirms the orientations and commitments made by the Agency under its 2018-2022 Goals and Performance Contract. For Roger Genet, Director General of ANSES, " the aim is to underscore our scientific relevance, both as a reference and a source of ideas, and to respond ever more effectively in support of the public authorities to protect the health of our fellow citizens in their daily lives and the quality of our environment ".
11/12/2019 —
News

Monitoring the nutritional quality of the food supply in France: signature of a new OQALI framework agreement

On Wednesday 11 December, ANSES, INRA and the Ministries responsible for health, consumer affairs and food signed a new framework agreement for the French Food Observatory (OQALI), for the period 2020-2023. This will enable the Observatory to continue and strengthen its missions to monitor the nutritional quality of the supply of processed products, in order to support public policy-making on food.
Glyphosate
09/12/2019 —
News

ANSES announces the withdrawal of 36 products containing glyphosate

Following the European Union's five-year re-approval of this active substance in 2017, ANSES is reviewing marketing authorisations for products containing glyphosate marketed in France, and has begun a comparative assessment with the available alternatives. Without waiting for the end of the current process, the Agency has announced its withdrawal of authorisations for 36 products containing glyphosate and its refusal to authorise four new products, as the data provided by manufacturers did not enable it to reach a decision on their possible genotoxicity. In 2018, these products accounted for nearly three-quarters of the tonnage of glyphosate-based products sold in France for agricultural and non-agricultural uses.
Abeilles
09/12/2019 —
News

International conference on bee health

ANSES and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are organising an international scientific conference on Monday 9 December dedicated to bee health and how research can contribute to risk assessment.
Sulfoxaflor
06/12/2019 —
News

Decision of the Nice Administrative Court: ANSES withdraws marketing authorisations for two insecticides containing sulfoxaflor

ANSES has noted the decision of the Nice Administrative Court to revoke marketing authorisations for the insecticides "Transform" and "Closer" containing sulfoxaflor, an active substance approved by the European Commission. For these authorisations, which it had issued on 27 September 2017, as well as for all marketing authorisations for plant protection products, ANSES emphasises that it rigorously applies the European regulatory framework, taking all the available scientific literature into account. This framework involves a scientific risk assessment and the establishment, whenever necessary, of suitable protective measures, in full application of the precautionary principle. As the government has decided to prohibit the use of sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone, two plant protection active substances with an identical mode of action to neonicotinoids, in application of the French EGAlim Act, ANSES will not be appealing against the decision of the Nice court.
28/11/2019 —
News

Lubrizol: ANSES's recommendations for establishing long-term surveillance of foodstuffs

Following the fire at the Lubrizol plant, the authorities established two management phases to control the risks of exposure via food. In the first phase, samples were taken to identify contaminants likely to have come from the fire in foodstuffs under the path of the smoke plume, and to measure their levels. This covered both human food and animal feed. The opinions subsequently formulated by ANSES on the basis of the analyses received did not find any contamination levels that could lead to increased risks of dietary exposure in the short term.
VrTH
28/11/2019 —
News

Use of herbicide-tolerant varieties in France

Herbicide-tolerant varieties (HTVs) are crop varieties that have been developed to be tolerant to a specific herbicide. Given their expansion in France over the past ten years, particularly for sunflower and rapeseed crops, and in response to public concerns, ANSES has reviewed the use of these plant varieties. Like all crop seeds in France, HTVs are not subject to a risk assessment before being placed on the market, and to date, the monitoring of such seeds is not required. ANSES has worked on collecting as much data as possible on the uses of HTVs in France and on gathering the respective views of a variety of stakeholders in order to conduct a review of the status of HTVs. After studying agricultural practices, ANSES confirms that weeds are at risk of developing resistance to herbicides and that there is a chance that the use of herbicides could ultimately increase, as already shown in the 2011 collective expert report by INRA and CNRS. ANSES also emphasises the lack of traceability in the use of such seeds, which hinders the assessment of their agricultural and health impacts. ANSES thus recommends setting up a scheme to monitor any adverse effects due to HTVs.
Compléments Alimentaires
25/11/2019 —
News

Use of berberine-containing plants in food supplements

Berberine-containing plants are used in food supplements primarily to regulate blood glucose and cholesterol levels, although no health claims are authorised at European level. To identify conditions likely to ensure the safety of use of these food supplements, ANSES examined the health effects and especially the toxicological profile of berberine. Following its expert appraisal, the Agency confirms that proven pharmacological effects occur from the dose of 400 mg/day in adults but does not rule out the possibility of lower doses also causing such effects. Therefore, the Agency recommends undertaking further studies to identify the minimum dose associated with pharmacological effects, to provide a basis for defining the regulations applicable to berberine-containing products. However, in light of the available toxicological data and the concentrations observed in the identified supplements, the safety of use of these food supplements cannot currently be guaranteed. Thus, ANSES advises certain population groups, including children and adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women and certain vulnerable populations, to refrain from consuming berberine-containing food supplements. The Agency also draws the attention of healthcare professionals to berberine's ability to interact with numerous drugs, which could compromise the efficacy of certain treatments.

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