Guidance Document on Standardised Test Guidelines for Evaluating Chemicals for Endocrine Disruption

This guidance document was developed as a follow-up to the workshop on OECD countries’ activities regarding testing, assessment and management of endocrine disrupters, which was held in Copenhagen (Denmark) on 22-24 September 2010 (see document No. 118 published in the Series on Testing and Assessment). In 2010, the OECD Secretariat presented the objectives and a draft outline of the document at the meeting of the Working Group of National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme (WNT). The document was then developed by two consultants in close cooperation with an advisory group on
testing and assessment of endocrine disrupters (EDTA AG). In November 2010, comments were requested from the WNT, the EDTA AG, the Task Force on Hazard Assessment and experts involved in the assessment of chemicals. The EDTA AG addressed the comments from the WNT at a meeting held in April 2011, and a progress report was presented to the WNT at its 2011 meeting. In May 2011, comments were requested from the WNT on the changes made to the draft Guidance Document. In parallel to the finalisation of the draft Guidance document, three case studies were then developed by the consultants to valuate whether the conclusions and next steps recommended in the draft guidance document are sensible and helpful when assessed in light of comprehensive datasets. The draft guidance document and the three case studies were reviewed again and revised at a meeting of the EDTA AG in December 2011. The draft guidance document was approved by the WNT at its meeting held in April 2012. It was declassified by the Joint Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology on 26 July 2012. This document is published under the responsibility of the Joint Meeting.