The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7384 p63
21 January 2006

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Head lice treatments may be linked with child leukaemia

An association between insecticidal head lice shampoo treatments and childhood leuk-aemias has been observed by the authors of a new study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2006;63:131).

The researchers surveyed parents of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic or non-lymphoblastic leukaemia and parents of a matched set of control subjects. The questionnaire covered pesticide use in the home and garden and the use of topical antiparasitics.

Details about parental traits, such as medical history and sociodemographics, were also sought.

Confounding factors were incorporated into the statistical model to test the consistency of the data, and the findings were upheld.

However, the authors could not rule out the possibility of recall bias and suggested that the results were in need of replication and further investigation.