washington

A growth-enhancing hormone fed to cattle “has to be considered as a complete carcinogen”, based on a substantial body of recent evidence, according to a committee of the European Commission (EC) reporting on Monday (3 May).

The EC's Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures issued its finding at a critical time — just ahead of the 13 May deadline set by the World Trade Organization for European Union compliance with the WTO's ruling of 1997 that the EU must accept hormone-raised beef for import. In that ruling, the WTO declared illegal a 1989 EU ban on imports of hormone-raised beef, saying that the EU had not conducted a proper risk assessment. The study was meant to address that concern.

The committee report — which is interim and open for public comment — finds that 17β-oestradiol “exerts both tumour initiating and tumour promoting effects”. The report is a risk analysis of residues in beef from six growth-promoting hormones fed to cattle. It found that, for all six hormones studied, endocrine, developmental, immunological, neurobiological, immunotoxic, tenotoxic and carcinogenic effects “could be envisaged”, although such risks could not be quantified.

But the study drew fire in Washington, where some argued that it was a European ploy to avoid WTO sanctions if the EU fails to accept hormone-raised beef imports.

A State Department official calls the report's timing “highly suspect”. “After all these tests over all these years [showing the safety of such beef] there is suddenly a dramatic new scientific discovery⃛ What they are desperately trying to do is find some excuse [to avoid WTO sanctions]. It's transparent,” says the official.

And an official at the US Food and Drug Administration dismisses the report as void of “new information”. Bert Mitchell, acting deputy director of the agency's Center for Veterinary Medicine, says: “We have very carefully reviewed the safety of these hormones over several years. Our position is that they are safe.”

But the report drew praise from consumer advocates. “This is going to be a good test of the ability of Europe to withstand the pressures of an unaccountable World Trade Organization,” says Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economic Trends in Washington. “There are serious potential health risks that should be looked at. It's not resolved that this is safe. The burden should not be on the public to prove it's safe.”