Letters from the December 1, 2007, issue of Science News
By Science News
Bed nets and insecticides
Kenyan researchers report that insecticide-treated bed nets can reduce malaria-related deaths in children (“Keep Out: Treated mosquito nets limit child deaths,” SN: 9/29/07, p. 195). While these nets appear to provide preventive measures against malaria, my only concern is the toxicity of the insecticides. The World Health Organization lists two of the insecticides used on the nets, bifenthrin and permethrin, as possible human carcinogens. Deltamethrin and cyfluhrin can have harmful effects on the nervous and endocrine systems. Is it ethical to prevent one disease now, but possibly foster the development of other diseases in the future?