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Pure Appl. Chem. Vol. 75, Nos. 11-12, p. xi-xii (2003)

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Vol. 75, Issues 11-12

Special Topic Issue on the Implications of Endocrine Active Substances for Humans and Wildlife

[Back to Contents]

Preface
Disruption of endocrine systems by anthropogenic as well as natural compounds has become an important global issue during the last decade, because it may encompass not only humans, but also a wide range of other organisms, and not only the present generation, but also future ones. Massive scientific research efforts are currently underway to assess the significance of reported adverse effects of exposure to xenobiotics on endocrine systems.

In 1996, the U.S.Congress mandated the EPA to establish the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee, which issued its final report in October 1998. The Committee recommended testing programs composed of tiered systems, starting with high-throughput pre-screening, followed by tier 1 screening using relatively simple in vivo screening,and tier 2 testing involving laborious and time-consuming tests such as rodent two-generation reproduction studies. Concomitantly, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) initiated similar programs.

It was clear that there are still many scientific uncertainties to be resolved before acceptable testing procedures can be established. As pointed out in the recent “White Book ”on Endocrine Disruptors by IUPAC, International Union of Pharmacology (IUPHAR), and International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) [ “Natural and Anthropogenic Environmental Estrogens:the Scientific Basis for Risk Assessment”, Pure and Applied Chemistry ,70(9), 1617-1865 (1998)], these uncertainties can only be resolved by conducting high quality scientific investigations and a thorough peer review of the results. In this report, the Unions highlighted the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms by which the chemicals produce their effects, and for further examination of the relation between exposure and adverse effects both on humans and the environment. They called for the development of better methods of screening and testing chemicals. Finally, they pointed out the need for a review of existing and new risk assessment methods.

Most of the reviews undertaken about endocrine active substances had considered these issues at a national (e.g., USA, Japan) or European Union level, while the only truly international study, by IUPAC, IUPHAR, and IUTOX, took place at an early stage in the development of research in this field.

The present SCOPE/IUPAC project on endocrine active substance is the only one looking at endocrine active substances (EASs) on a world-wide basis, with emphasis on the specific situation in each region. Thus, a comparative approach was applied to look at the various aspects of the issues from different regional perspectives, and this gives the project significant added value.

Moreover, the project was also designed to take account of the significant advances in the current scientific understanding over recent years. It thus has yielded policy-relevant information and advice that could not be addressed by previous initiatives, due to the early stage of scientific information.

The issue surrounding EASs addressed by the project are a high priority on the decision-making and practitioner agendas regarding environmental chemicals, both in individual countries and globally. Scientific gaps and uncertainties remain high, and will continue for some time. However, the in-depth, comprehensive, authoritative review of EASs and their environmental and health effects by the SCOPE/IUPAC project on endocrine active substances will facilitate risk assessment and assist governmental and intergovernmental authorities, industry, and the wider public, in framing policies to address these issues.

The project culminated in a Symposium held 17-21 November 2002 in Yokohama, Japan. Scientists, managers, and public policy-makers presented papers in (1) human effects, (2) wildlife effects, (3) exposure assessment, and (4) testing for EASs and endocrine disruption (ED) effects, as well as in six workshops dealing with the effectiveness of QSAR, toxicogenomics, integrated monitoring systems, rapid assays, precautionary principle/weight of evidence approaches, and risk management options for endocrine disruptors. Overall, 408 scientists gathered from 31 countries, giving 84 talks and an additional 84 posters. The papers presented form the basis for this special issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

J. Burger
SCOPE/Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA

[Back to Contents]

Scientific Advisory Committee
Junshi Miyamoto, Chair, IUPAC/Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
Joanna Burger, Co-Chair, SCOPE/Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA

John Ashby, Syngenta Ltd., Cheshire, UK
William Kelce, Pharmacia Corporation, Michigan, USA
Werner Klein, IUPAC/Fraunhöfer Institute for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Schmallenberg, Germany
Kenneth Korach, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, North Carolina, USA
James Lamb, BBL Sciences, Virginia, USA
Tadao Matsumoto, Professor, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Peter Matthiessen, Center for Ecology and Hydrology, Cumbria, UK
Yasuyuki Oshima, President, Japan Wildlife Research Center, Japan
Tatsuo Urabe, Professor, Computation Center, Nagoya University, Japan

FUNDED BY:
BBL Sciences
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK Natural Environment Research Council
Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan (CERI)
Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation
Division of Life Science, Rutgers University
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI)
International Council of Chemical Industry Associations (ICCA) (European Chemical Industry Council, CEFIC; American Chemistry Council, ACC; Japan Chemical Industry Association, JCIA)
International Council for Science (ICSU)
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japanese Government (METI)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japanese Government
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japanese Government
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japanese Government
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Japanese Government
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Pharmacia/Pfizer
Society of Toxicology (SOT)
Syngenta Central Toxicology Laboratory
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (US NIEHS)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

 


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