|
 What is an adverse effect?
Why report an adverse effect?
How can an adverse effect be reported?
What information should be provided when reporting an adverse effect?
Related Documents
Useful Links
What is an adverse effect?
An adverse effect is an unintended or unexpected effect on humans, domestic animals or the environment that results from exposure to, or use of, a pesticide. It can include any symptom. For example:
- for humans: headache, nausea, rash, seizures, respiratory problems, etc.;
- for domestic animals: excessive drooling, vomiting, loss of fur, convulsions,
etc.; and
- for environment: plant damage, abnormal leaf or fruit loss, dead fish or
birds, etc.
Why report an adverse effect?
Although all pesticides are carefully tested for safety before they are registered, some adverse effects may not become evident until the general population uses a product under “real-life” circumstances. By submitting a suspected adverse effect report, you are contributing to the ongoing collection of safety information that occurs once products are marketed.
Adverse effect reports will help the PMRA to identify any potential risks to humans or the environment from the use of pesticides and to take corrective actions when necessary. Such corrective actions could range from minor label changes to discontinuing the product.
You do not have to be certain that a pesticide caused the effect in order to report it. Adverse effect reports are, for the most part, only suspected associations.
How can an adverse effect be reported?
Currently, the public and the medical community can report adverse effects
to the manufacturer and to the Pest
Management Information Service of Health Canada's PMRA. When reporting
to the PMRA, you must provide the information mentioned below.
Once the new Pest Control Products Act (PCPA)
comes into force (2006-2007), the public will be encouraged to report adverse
effects directly to the manufacturer, who will be required by law to report
them to the PMRA. A toll-free number and address will be provided on all
product labels to facilitate reporting.
What information should be provided when reporting an adverse effect?
The following information is necessary for the PMRA to evaluate the adverse effect:
- name of product, registration number, or active ingredient (available on the product label);
- description of the adverse effect - include a description of each symptom, their duration, and the number of subjects (e.g., persons, plants, etc.) affected; and
- description of how the exposure occurred (e.g., during application of the product, from drift of the product, from contact with an area treated with a pesticide, etc.).
Example
1: Pesticide X. I applied the product to my dog’s skin, as directed
on the label. A rash appeared on my dog's skin 2 hours after the treatment
and lasted for 2 days.
Example
2:
Registration Number 55555. The yellowing of my cedar hedge appeared following spray drift of a product that was applied to the neighbouring field and the damage seems permanent.
We encourage you to report as much detail on the incident as possible.
Related Documents
Useful Links
- If you want to report an adverse reaction or a problem about
another type of product, please visit Health Canada's Adverse
Reaction Reporting web page.
- Report a pest control product adverse effect that occurred in the United States directly to the US manufacturer or to the National
Pesticide Information Center
 , 1-800-858-7378
- Recognition and Management
of Pesticide Poisonings
5th edition (1999). Edited by J. Routt Reigart, M.D. and James R. Roberts, M.D., MPH. Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, United States Environmental Protection Agency
Please visit this website regularly for updated information on the adverse effects reporting program.
|
-
65Kb