MPI approval for the recent EPA approval of the fungicide ipflufenoquin for agricultural use in New Zealand.

Written By ASID

In a joint letter to the Ministers of Agriculture - Hon. Todd McLay), Biosecurity and Food Safety – Hon. Andrew Hoggard, Environment – Hon. Penny Simmonds, Health – Hon. Simeon Brown, the New Zealand branch of ASID and the Aotearoa Pharmacists in Infectious Disease (APhID), stated their opposition to the recent EPA approval of ipflufenoquin for agricultural use in New Zealand1 and seek an urgent meeting to explain the risks to human health prior to approval by MPI.

  • We note that the recommendation to register a product needs to consider several risks including the risk to public health.

  • We note the publication of a previous report on the use of different classes of fungicides in New Zealand.3 However we express concern that it is very old data and as far as we know there is no monitoring, even at a high level, on the fungicide use in New Zealand. We strongly suggest monitoring is reintroduced in New Zealand.

  • There are very few classes of antifungal drugs available to treat invasive fungal infections in humans, and there are certain fungi that are resistant to the usual agents.

  • These include fungal pathogens present in soil/agricultural environments such as certain Fusarium species, Lomentospora prolificans and Scedosporium species.

  • These highly resistant fungi cause human infections in Australia and New

Read the full statement here.

ASID https://www.asid.net.au
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