Questions and answers on the use diazinon, malathion and glyphosate

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September 2015 - To date, WHO has not made any changes to the technical instructions for the use of diazinon and malathion in public health, nor for glyphosate. Accordingly, the current technical recommendations remain in effect.

Summary of the situation

In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated the carcinogenicity of the organophosphorus insecticides diazinon, malathion, and glyphosate and reclassified them as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). IARC is the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency is an inter-disciplinary group that brings together skills in epidemiology, laboratory sciences and biostatistics to identify the causes of cancer so that preventive measures may be adopted and the burden of disease and associated suffering reduced.