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On June 29, 2022, the presentation of the Geocap-Agri (Inserm) study devoted to the links between viticulture and acute childhood leukemia was held at the Ministry of Health. It clearly announces that the risk of developing acute leukemia for a child increases each time a plot of vines grows by 10% and this, within a radius of one kilometer around his home. The official publication of the study is expected by the end of the summer.
According to the results of this work, the use of pesticides in the vines is linked to the appearance of acute leukemia in children. This is the conclusion reached by research carried out by Santé Publique France and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm).
A “cluster” of leukemias
The Geocap-agri project was launched by the public authorities to respond to the mobilization of several environmental defense associations and parents of sick children, all living in the same town in Gironde, in Preignac, located in the middle of the vineyards. .
The president of Alerte des Médecins sur les Pesticides, Dr Pierre-Michel Perinaud recalls that the village “had at the time revealed a cluster, with ten patients in ten years, while leukemia is a rare disease, normally”.
A link already highlighted
The findings of this study are not surprising. Indeed, the link between certain diseases and exposure to pesticides was already demonstrated by Inserm in 2021. “Whether during his mother’s occupational exposure, or during a simple domestic exposure, Inserm confirmed in 2021 that the level of evidence between exposure to pesticides and acute leukemia as well as brain tumors was raised. This same level of proof is also recognized for congenital malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders. It lacked, one would be tempted to say only, evidence of exposure linked to the proximity of cultures“specify the collective of associations (Toxic Alert, Doctors Alert on Pesticides, Haute-Gironde Pesticide Alert, Info Médoc Pesticides Collective, Gironde Farmer Confederation, France Nature Environment, Future Generations, Vigilance GMO-Pesticides).
This is now done since the Geocap-Agri work brings additional elements: within a radius of one kilometer around their house, the more vines there are, the higher the risk of acute leukemia in children increases.
Associations call for changes in legislation
“The problem is that the current regulations only recommend ridiculous distances, 3 meters for low crops and 10 meters for high crops, to protect the inhabitants. adds Dr. Perineau. The associations challenge the government: “We also ask for protective perimeters around all places of life, including schools, nurseries, sports fields and homes.“.
More generally, the associations ask “a vast plan to convert our agriculture to a truly sustainable agricultural model, such as organic farming (…) This will have a cost but the health of our children is priceless, we must collectively take responsibility“.