European Report on Animal Research and DEET is Misleading, Fails to Reflect Realities of Consumer Use Experts Continue to Recommend DEET
“Reports of a French study to examine the effects of DEET on the nervous system of insects has little relevance for the widely used repellent ingredient’s effects on humans, according to independent scientific experts, including those at the U.S. National Pesticide Information Center,” said Susan Little, director of the DEET Education Program, Washington, D.C. To suggest that DEET is unsafe when used according to label instructions is irresponsible, she noted, especially since the study in no way reflects the way that consumers use insect repellents that contain it. Experts cited by the BBC and other news organizations agree. “The experiments that were conducted were mainly done on insects or on individual cells in test tubes, and generally not under conditions that accurately reflect how DEET is used as an insect repellent in the real world,” said Daniel Sudakin, M.D., M.P.H., with the U.S. National Pesticide Information Center, in a BBC News story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr//2/hi/health/8182052.stm). Dr. Sudakin is a widely published medical toxicologist and co-director of Integrative Health Science Facility Core at Oregon State University. “This makes it very difficult if not impossible to interpret the relevance of their findings to humans,” he said. “There have been several recent studies exploring the safety and risks of DEET in humans,” Dr. Sudakin said. “The incidence of exposures resulting in neurotoxic effects is very low, when considered in the context of the millions of people around the world who have used insect repellents containing DEET." Prof. Brian Greenwood of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in the same BBC story, said: “DEET has been used for decades with few reported side effects. And the findings of animal studies do not always match what happens in humans.” Prof. Greenwood, according to the BBC, also said most people tended to use DEET infrequently and, therefore, were exposed to low doses. He said more research may be warranted to investigate the researchers concerns further.
2 Eric Berger, Houston Chronicle science writer sums up the story in his blog http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2009/08/the_deet_alarmism_story_you_didnt_see_in_the _newsp_1.html. He wrote: “The fault lies here with the press office for the journal’s publisher, BioMed Central, for putting out a sensational press release that simply doesn’t seem justified, based on the paper or the wider body of evidence.” Other Experts’ Opinions about DEET “Repellents containing DEET are very safe when used according to directions. No serious illness has been linked to use of DEET in children when used according to manufacturer’s recommendations.” Insect Repellent Use & Safety, www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/WNVmyths.htm “Insect repellents containing DEET are the most effective. The concentration of DEET in products may range from less than 10 percent to over 30 percent. The benefits of DEET reach a peak at a concentration of 30 percent, the maximum concentration currently recommended for infants and children.” The AAP notes that DEET can be used on children as young as 2 months of age. American Academy of Pediatrics, Summer Safety Tips, April 30, 2006 (www.aap.org) “DEET has a remarkable safety profile after 40 years of use and nearly 8 billion human applications. When applied with common sense, DEET-based repellents can be expected to provide a safe as well as long-lasting repellent effect. Despite the substantial attention paid by the lay press every year to the safety of DEET, this repellent has been subjected to more scientific and toxicological scrutiny than any other repellent substance." Mark S. Fradin, M.D., and Jonathan F. Day, Ph.D., New England Journal of Medicine, 2002 Consumers Can Get More Information The DEET Education Program has been educating consumers and professionals about insect repellents and other measures to prevent insect and tick bites, along with the diseases they sometimes carry, for more than 15 years. “DEET is the world’s most popular insect repellent active ingredient and has been used reliably by consumers for more than 50 years. “The body of evidence supporting its use is enormous,” Little said.
3 The DEP provides individualized answers to questions within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends and holidays by calling toll-free 888-No-Bites (888-662-4837). Questions can be submitted via www.deetonline.org. The DEET Education Program, which operates under the auspices of the Consumer Specialty Products Association, is sponsored by Clariant Corp., McLaughlin Gormley King Co., S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., 3M Company and Vertellus Health and Specialties Inc. - 30 -