NZNO Supports Chemical/Cancer Link Research

NZNO Supports Call For Research Into Link Between Chemicals and Cancer

The New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation supports the Green Party’s call for more research on the special risks faced by workers exposed to chemicals linked to cancer.

“There are clearly factors about the environment, including the working environment, in New Zealand that cause a higher incidence of breast cancer than countries such as Japan,” said NZNO CEO Geoff Annals today.

Geoff Annals said more emphasis on breast cancer prevention should include urgent research into the association of work with these chemicals and incidence of breast cancer amongst occupational groups such as nurses.

“Nurses are among the occupational groups who are exposed to a wide range of chemicals in their work,” he said.

“New Zealand breast cancer statistics are alarming and clearly we need to understand what environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to the problem.”

Geoff Annals said that while significant resources were allocated to detection and treatment of cancer, very little was allocated to prevention.

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