[Histonet] Re: Formaldehyde - Carcinogen?

[Marshall Terry Dr, Consultant Histopathologist]

 "To date there has been no information published to suggest that
pathologists' causes of death are different from those of other American
physicians."

Over here (UK) pathologists have the second highest suicide rate.
This suggests that they haven't had time to get the long term effects of
formalin:-)

Terry - equally pickled.

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Robert
Richmond
Sent: 21 September 2007 04:16
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Re: Formaldehyde - Carcinogen?

Beth A. Fye at HCA Richmond [Virginia?] Hospital Laboratories asks:

>>In 2006, the IARC [International Agency for Research on Cancer]
changed formaldehyde from a Group 2a - Probable Carcinogen to a Group I
Carcinogenic to Humans.  Has this changed... any  procedures within
[your] Histology Laboratory?<<

See
http://www.iarc.fr/ENG/Press_Releases/archives/pr153a.html
I never heard of them, but I don't think the IARC is a regulatory agency
- rather they're a subsidiary of the WHO (World Health
Organization) based in France.

Pathologists (at least this pathologist) have a very high lifetime
exposure to formaldehyde. The AMA (American Medical Association) tracks
the causes of death of American physicians very carefully. To date there
has been no information published to suggest that pathologists' causes
of death are different from those of other American physicians.

I'm sure that the herrn inschpektors will soon be belaboring us with
this IARC report, but I don't think there's any new evidence - or if
there is, I wish the IARC or somebody would publish it.

Bob Richmond
well pickled samurai pathologist
Knoxville TN

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