Health Canada proposes adding anti-cancer drugs to our foods.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
You have until February 21st, 2009 to tell Health Canada whether you want food manufacturers to be able to put the drug, Asparaginase, into their products.
Although some of the news only talks about this additive being put into “junk food” like potato chips and french fries, the list would include any highly processed foods, and foods that are cooked over 120 degrees celsius including breads, cereals, and crackers! It is a very, very long list.
I thank my colleague, Vaikunthanath das Kaviraj, for alerting me to this, for the link to www.drug.com, and the Heath Canada address info.
CTV News http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091222/junk_091222/20091222?hub=Health
Health Canada http://hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php
Side Effects of Asparaginase – for the Consumer www.drug.com
Agitation; chills; confusion; depression; drowsiness; fatigue; fever; headache; hives; irritability; joint pain; loss of appetite; muscle pain; nausea; rash; vomiting; weight loss.
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); agitation; change in the amount of urine; coma; confusion; dark urine; hallucinations; high fever; joint pain; pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site; seizures; stomach pain; tremor; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual tiredness or weakness.
Side Effects by Body System
Hematologic
Hematologic side effects have included a marked decrease in circulating lymphoblasts, with normal or below normal leukocyte counts, within the first days after initiating therapy. This is sometimes accompanied by a marked rise in serum uric acid. Pre-renal azotemia has also been reported.
Hypofibrinogenemia has been reported. Depression of other clotting factors including factors V and VIII (marked decreases) and factors VII and IX (variable decreases) have also been reported. A low incidence of decrease in circulating platelets has been reported. Bleeding has been reported in a minority of patients with a demonstrable coagulopathy. Intracranial hemorrhage and fatal bleeding associated with low fibrinogen levels have been reported. Compensatory increased fibrinolytic activity has also been reported.
Transient bone marrow depression has rarely been observed as evidenced by a delay in return of hemoglobin or hematocrit levels to normal in patients undergoing hematologic remission of leukemia. Marked leukopenia has also been reported.
Hypertriglyceridemia has been reported.
Gastrointestinal
Gastrointestinal side effects have included nausea, vomiting, and anorexia. Acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis (sometimes fatal) has also been reported.
General
General side effects include chills, fever, abdominal cramps, weight loss, and headache. Fatal hyperthermia has also been reported.
Hepatic
Hepatic side effects have included elevations of SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and depression of serum albumin, cholesterol, and plasma fibrinogen. Both increases and decreases in total blood lipids have been reported. Marked hypoalbuminemia associated with peripheral edema has been reported. Fatty changes in the liver have been documented by biopsy. Malabsorption syndrome has also been reported.
Most hepatic abnormalities are usually reversible upon discontinuation of therapy and some reversal has been reported during the course of therapy.
Nervous system
Nervous system side effects have included somnolence, fatigue, seizures, coma, and confusion. A Parkinson-like syndrome with tremor and a progressive increase in muscle tone has been reported rarely.
Nervous system side effects have usually reversed spontaneously upon discontinuation of asparaginase.
Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular side effects have included one reported case of acute myocardial infarction.
Dermatologic
Dermatologic side effects have included skin rashes and urticaria.
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Musculoskeletal
Musculoskeletal side effects have included arthralgia.
Respiratory
Respiratory side effects have included respiratory distress.
Metabolic
The syndrome resembles hyperosmolar nonketonic hyperglycemia. While the syndrome usually responds to discontinuation of asparaginase, judicious use of IV fluid, and insulin, it has occasionally been fatal.
Metabolic side effects have included a low incidence of hyperglycemia with glycosuria and polyuria.
Psychiatric
Psychiatric side effects have included depression, agitation, confusion, paranoia, and hallucinations.
Renal
Renal side effects include acute renal shut down and fatal renal insufficiency. Proteinuria has been reported infrequently.
Other
Other side effects have included interference with the interpretation of thyroid function tests by production of a rapid and marked reduction in serum concentrations of thyroxine-binding globulin within days after the first dose.
Serum concentrations of thyroxine-binding globulin have been reported to return to pretreatment values within four weeks of the last dose.
Oncologic
Oncologic side effects have included reports of small increases in pulmonary adenomas in animal studies..
Immunologic
Immunosuppressive activity has been reported in animal experiments.
Tell Health Canada what you want:
You have until February 21st to make a difference!
Email type “Asparaginas” in the subject field of your email:
Post
Bureau of Chemical Safety
251 Sir Frederick Banting Drive
Health Canada, Tunney’s Pasture
Address Locator: 2203B
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2
Phone: 613-957-0973
Fax: 613-954-4674
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