A European study using lab animals to examine the possibility that DEET is a neurotoxin produced misleading results and fails to accurately reflect the way that consumers use insect repellents containing DEET, experts say.
DEET is the world’s most popular insect repellent active ingredient and has been used reliably by consumers for more than 50 years.
“The incidence of exposures resulting in neurotoxic effects is very low, when considered in the context of the millions of people around the world who have used insect repellents containing DEET, ” said Daniel Sudakin, M.D., M.P.H., WITH the U.S. National Pesticide Information Center in a BBC News story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/8182052.stm).
The BBC News story is a balanced report on the study. A news release issued by the study published and other news stories provide a misleading picture. For more, please visit www.deetonline.org
