On July 6, 2016 a group of scientific experts in the field of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) sent an open letter to the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, in response to the criteria for identification of EDCs proposed by the European Commission (EC) on June 15, 2016 (FPF reported). In the letter, the scientists voice their concern about the proposed EDC criteria, highlighting two main issues: 1) The criteria place an “under-defined, potentially unprecedentedly high, burden of proof” on identifying chemicals of concern (COC) as EDCs, and 2) the criteria present a “confused set of processes for identifying, evaluating and integrating scientific evidence.” To resolve these issues, the scientists recommend several improvements to the proposed EDC criteria, such as a) clearly and unambiguously defining the phrase ‘known to cause adverse effects relevant for human health,’ b) allowing for regulatory identification of a COC as an EDC in absence of ‘sufficient’ evidence of harm from epidemiological studies, and c) introducing a hierarchy of categories for EDCs, distinguishing ‘known’ from e.g. ‘probable,’ ‘possible,’ or ‘not classifiable.’ Further, the scientists request a meeting with Commissioner Andriukaitis to “articulate [their] concerns in more detail” and to “discuss how they might be resolved through reformulation of the regulatory proposal.”

Read more

Paul Whaley (July 6, 2016). “Open letter to EU Commission about proposed EDC Criteria.PolicyFromScience.com

Paul Whaley (July 7, 2016). “The EU’s confused evidence processes for identifying endocrine disruptors.EurActiv

Reference

Ågerstrand, M. et al. (July 6, 2016). “Open letter in response to the proposed criteria for identification and regulation of endocrine disrupting chemicals, under the PPP and Biocides Regulations.(pdf)

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