Participants needed for new study

Only eight Taranaki people have signed up for a Massey University study investigating the health effects of agri-chemicals.

Users and non-users of pesticides in Taranaki are being invited to be part of the confidential study.

Study leader Andrea Martine ‘t Mannetje said certain farming occupations in New Zealand were associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a common type of blood cancer.

While pesticide exposure was likely to play a role in NHL, it was not known which ones were involved. Overseas studies had shown pesticide exposure could result in subtle changes in biological markers that could be measured in people’s blood.

She said her study was investigating whether pesticides currently used in New Zealand were associated with biological markers that might play a role in NHL development. Researchers hoped to identify harmful pesticides and to develop strategies to reduce NHL risk.

One hundred users of pesticides and 50 non-users were being sought for the study.

‘‘We are inviting 100 healthy individuals who regularly apply pesticides from a range of farming sectors, including horticulture, sheep farming, and plant nurseries.’’

One hundred farmers and contractors had signed up, but more could still take part.

Research nurse Heather Duckett will visit participants to complete a confidential questionnaire about their health and work history and obtain two blood samples - one now and one during the spray season - and a urine sample.

Fifty healthy men who had never applied pesticides were being sought for the comparison group, but so far only 18 had signed up.