Panel Hears Glyphosate Testimony

The consensus is the herbicide glyphosate is unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans, based on the scientific data collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and presented to a scientific advisory panel, or SAP, studying cancer links to glyphosate this week in Arlington, Virginia.  During the first two days of meetings, EPA officials laid out the scientific basis for the agency's decision to the panel of doctors and other scientists.  One of the most significant developments with the SAP came on Wednesday, as witnesses called into question the research by scientist Christopher Portier, a name that has been central to the debate as to whether glyphosate is carcinogenic.In July 2015, Portier, one of the co-authors of the International Agency for Research on Cancer report on glyphosate, said in a scientific briefing in London he was convinced glyphosate causes genetic damage that leads to cancer in humans. Many scientists and glyphosate supporters quickly called into question Portier's cancer research for that IARC report.Witnesses testified this week that Portier admitted some of his research on a glyphosate connection to tumor development was done incorrectly. Witnesses said the methods Portier used tend to exaggerate the significance of rare tumors by as many as 10 times.Portier has said there were issues with his own conclusions, in a written response to a critique of his work by Dr. Robert E. Tarone, biostatistics director at the International Epidemiology Institute. The meeting materials can be accessed at the EPA website.