Pesticides
UCLA Health study links long-term chlorpyrifos exposure to higher Parkinson’s risk
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A UCLA Health study reports that people with long-term residential exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos had more than a 2.5-fold higher likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease. The research, published in Molecular Neurodegeneration, pairs human exposure estimates with animal and zebrafish experiments that found dopamine-neuron damage and disruptions to the brain’s protein “cleanup” system.
Following the deaths of six children in Soweto from terbufos-contaminated food, the South African government has published a ban on the highly toxic pesticide in January 2026. Emeritus Professor Leslie London, who chaired the relevant ministerial committee, highlighted flaws in the country's outdated pesticide regulations. The ban awaits public comments until late February.
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President Donald Trump's $12 billion farm aid program, aimed at offsetting trade policy impacts, largely benefits major commodity operations, drawing criticism from the Make America Healthy Again movement. The initiative prioritizes big agriculture, which relies on pesticides the coalition seeks to curb. This has sparked internal tensions within conservative ranks over environmental and health priorities.