*DaNi*

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/24/pork-chemical-castration-pfizer-improvac


Improvac is a vaccine created to prevent puberty in male pigs and thus reduce hormones that cause boar taint (a taste many consumers dislike), grow pigs bigger and is an alternative to physical castration, therefore is call "chemical castration" of pigs.
The last year was licensed for use in Britain, but this drug is used in Australia since one decade and is now approved in 53 countries.
Due of this, a controversy was generated because the pig meat could be on sale without a label to warn shoppers that it contains Improvac.
The Assured Food Standards (AFS) agency rejected Improvac, fearing a public backlash, because in 2008 a scandal was produced in Ireland when pork products were contaminated and the public sensitivity could be high. So the AFS wants more market intelligence before making a change.
Another agencies, like the UK's National Pig Association, wanted more research into consumer attitudes. The British Veterinary Association wants concerns about safety for farm workers and while for Soil Association (an organic movement) the primary concern was the impact on the animals.
On the other hand, Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant that developed the drug is defended of all this saying the Improvac could not affect consumers through the pig meat or the environment and this is guaranteed by the European commission's licensing authorities, including a panel of international scientific experts, that assessed Improvac's environmental safety, consumer safety and the product's safety and efficacy when used in pigs. And finally they say that the safety assessment of Improvac was every bit as rigorous as a human medicine assessment.