00:00A tremendous letter has just been sent to him by a group of more than 30 leading public health epidemiologists.
00:05and scientists from various disciplines to the Minister of Health, Ana María Vesga, on a central issue that has sparked
00:11A big discussion here in Colombia, the idea of using glufosinate ammonium for aerial spraying in crops of
00:18illicit use.
00:19The nine-page letter is also addressed to Zulma Cucunuba, director of the National Institute of Health, and details by
00:28This group of researchers does not agree that the substitution of one herbicide for another should be assumed
00:34as an automatic guarantee of security.
00:37That is, to replace glyphosate with glufosinate ammonium, which has already been approved by the government.
00:45by Abelardo de la Espriella, at least to carry out a pilot plan to fumigate illicit crops.
00:52However, the National Institute of Health must issue a prior opinion before that plan can be implemented.
00:58And so far he hasn't done so.
01:00In their letter, this group of scientists is clear in their position. I will read you verbatim how it begins.
01:06The eventual implementation of aerial spraying with glufosinate ammonium for the eradication of illicit crops in Colombia
01:14It requires an independent, comprehensive and specific assessment of its risks to human health, the environment and fundamental rights
01:24of the potentially exposed communities.
01:27They point out that this substance has its own toxicological profile and must be evaluated considering the complete commercial formulation, the proposed doses,
01:39the operational conditions of the application and the environmental and social characteristics of the territories where it will be used.
01:48They also refer to the idea of creating a pilot program to assess its impact on communities.
01:54They say its design is limited exclusively to the evaluation of acute and medium-term effects, but it does not allow
02:04assess the potential long-term risks in the absence of epidemiological studies.
02:10It is a scenario, they stress, in which these uncertainties must be acknowledged, the available evidence critically examined, and measures taken.
02:19preventive measures in accordance with the severity of the potential damage.
02:24And I'll read you another excerpt verbatim.
02:26No aerial spraying operation should proceed without the competent authorities demonstrating, through verifiable information and transparent procedures, that
02:37The risks have been adequately assessed, applicable legal obligations have been met, and effective measures are in place to protect
02:46populations and ecosystems potentially affected by the use of glufosinate ammonium.
02:53The letter is signed by other renowned researchers in the country, including Álvaro Javier Hidrobo, Julián Fernández Niño, and Fabián.
03:01Méndez, Laura Rodríguez or Maylen Rojas.
03:04Everyone involved includes Piers Dien and Piedemiology, as well as Jonathan García Ruiz, a researcher in Global Health, and Elena Stachensko, a PhD in Chemistry.
03:11Instrumental.
03:13The list is long.
03:14And the letter too, so I'm just going to highlight a couple more arguments.
03:18The group also recalls lessons learned from the use of glyphosate in aerial spraying for legal crops.
03:26The most important lesson, they say, is that the evaluation of aerial spraying cannot be reduced to the isolated analysis of
03:33a single molecule.
03:35You must consider the actual application conditions, product drift, and involuntary exposure of communities.
03:43the potential impact on water sources and food crops, and the difficulties in preventing, detecting, and repairing the damage.
03:51Similarly, they point out that although the causal attribution of each condition must be established through scientific evidence,
03:58Testimonies and community complaints are essential to identify potential damage.
04:05And here they raise one of the biggest challenges that, in their opinion, the country faces:
04:12This idea.
04:13Assessing the risk is not easy, because the proposed conditions of use have not yet been met.
04:21in the real world.
04:23The evidence is scarce, and that, they write, makes it difficult to make decisions based on purely technical criteria.
04:31In those paragraphs they send another message to the authorities.
04:34They have the obligation to protect the rights to health, a healthy environment, water, and participation.
04:40And one last thing, as health researchers, remember that the effects of a chemical substance depend on multiple factors,
04:48including the characteristics of the people, since the population is not homogeneous.
04:54It is very different, for example, what can happen with older people, with children and adolescents, or women in
05:02reproductive age.
05:02But if you want to know all the arguments, write the word "news" in the comments.
05:08and we sent them an article detailing all these arguments.
05:13And follow us on our social media channels, because here at El Espectador we are committed to doing good journalism.
05:18health, environment and science.
05:21Bye.
05:32Bye.
05:33Bye.
