Abstract
This commentary examines the controversial relationship between paraquat, a widely used herbicide, and Parkinson's disease through the lens of agnotology—the deliberate production of ignorance for commercial gain. Despite numerous animal and epidemiological studies linking paraquat to Parkinson's disease, its use in the United States doubled from 2013 to 2018. The authors reveal how the manufacturer allegedly employed tactics similar to the tobacco industry, including attempts to discredit scientific researchers and suppress unfavorable findings. While over 30 countries have banned paraquat due to health risks, the EPA reauthorized its use in 2021. The paper argues that internal company documents and emerging evidence now conclusively demonstrate paraquat as a causal factor in Parkinson's disease. The authors call for an immediate ban on paraquat, acceleration of research into other environmental causes, and protection of researchers from corporate interference in scientific inquiry.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Publication Date
3-6-2023
Document Type
Article
Department, Program, or Center
English, Department of
College
College of Liberal Arts
Recommended Citation
Dorsey, E. R., & Ray, A. (2023). Paraquat, Parkinson's Disease, and Agnotology. Movement Disorders, 38(6), 949-952. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.29371
Campus
RIT – Main Campus
Included in
Disorders of Environmental Origin Commons, Epistemology Commons, Medical Humanities Commons, Nervous System Diseases Commons, Public Health Commons, Science and Technology Studies Commons
