Day 039 - 20 Oct 94 - Page 11

     
     1
     2   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I understand that.  Do you understand,
     3        Dr. Millstone?
     4        A.  I think it is now clearer how Professor Walker might
     5        have used those terms when he used them.  I can think of
     6        some context in which that might have applied and I will
     7        endeavour to refer to that when I reach that point.
     8
     9   Q.   There were the New Zealand people with a lot of BHT in
    10        sugar or something.  I do not think he referred to that,
    11        but that might be an example.
    12        A.  I think sodium nitrite and haemoglobin.
    13
    14   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, Mr. Morris?
    15
    16   MR. MORRIS (To the witness):  Dr. Millstone, if you use your
    17        categories and pronounce judgment on each compound as we go
    18        through.  So, in a word Sunset Yellow, what is your
    19        judgment on it?
    20        A.  My view is, notwithstanding the fact that it is
         authorised for use, I have doubts about its safety and,
    22        given that it is a compound for which consumers have no
    23        need, I think it would be prudent to avoid it, pending the
    24        availability of the results of more careful studies.
    25
    26   Q.   If we move on to Amaranth?
    27        A.  OK.
    28
    29   Q.   If you just take us through the evidence against Amaranth.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  The part I have underlined is on page 11.
    32        This is again only referring to direct human evidence:
    33         "There is some direct human evidence", the first paragraph
    34        under Toxicological Evaluation, "that it can provoke
    35        hyperactivity and other symptoms of intolerance including
    36        asthma, eczema and urticaria"; that is a skin rash.
    37        A.  I have not provided specific references for that.  My
    38        reporting of that derives primarily from the files of the
    39        Hyperactive Children Support Group and other groups
    40        concerned with asthma and eczema.  Evidence of that nature
         is often dismissed as not satisfactory because anecdotal.
    42        That is not quite the way I would characterise it.  I would
    43        recognise that anecdotal evidence has limitations, but it
    44        is by no means worthless, but I do not have citations to
    45        published scientific papers providing evidence of this.
    46
    47        My main concern in respect of Amaranth concerns possible
    48        carcinogenicity and other adverse chronic effects.  Those
    49        would be the topics upon which I would choose to focus (and
    50        have focused) in the document I have prepared. 
    51 
    52   MR. MORRIS:  Yes, continue. 
    53        A.  OK.
    54
    55   Q.   Before you continue on this, sorry, we have heard, I think
    56        yesterday, that you consider hyperactivity as a serious
    57        condition; is that correct?
    58        A.  Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   And a prevalent condition in large numbers of people?