Impact of endocrine disrupters on human health and wildlife
The European Commission's Environment and Climate research programme has published the proceedings of a European workshop on "The impact of endocrine disrupters on human health and wildlife". The workshop, held in Weybridge, UK, on 2-4 December 1996, was the result of a Europe-wide collaboration involving the European Commission, the European Environment Agency, the World Health Organization, the European Centre for Environment and Health, the OECD, as well as national authorities and agencies from the UK, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands and the European industrial organizations CEFIC and ECETOC. Endocrine disruption has become a significant focus of environmental toxicology and medicine in the last few years. In light of the uncertainties and concerns relating to this topic, the aim of the workshop was to contribute to the establishment of an agreed, integrated plan to direct future international research and monitoring activities within this field. In particular, the conference aimed to: - Assess the scope of the problem in Europe; - Identify gaps in present knowledge and outstanding epidemiological questions; - Summarize current research activities in Europe; - Define research priorities for the EU's Fifth Framework Programme and for national research programmes; - Define monitoring needs and, if appropriate, strategies; - Assess whether existing testing and screening methodologies are adequate and to recommend method development where appropriate; - Provide a forum for informed international discussion on research and testing of endocrine disrupters. The workshop report presents the conclusions reached and the recommendations made for future research activities. It was prepared, on behalf of the organizers, by the MRC Institute for Environment and Health, on the basis of the initial source documents, the workshop plenary sessions and individual reports from working groups.