Endocrine Active Substances

Joanna Burger (USA)

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

While many reviews of endocrine active substances have been undertaken, the SCOPE/IUPAC project was the only one to look at EASs on a world-wide basis, with emphasis on the specific situation in each region. It was also designed to take account of significant advances in the current scientific understanding over recent years. It thus provided policy-relevant information and advice that could not be addressed by previous initiatives due to the early stage of scientific information.

The international symposium on endocrine active substances organised by IUPAC and SCOPE in Yokohama in November 2002 brought together chemists, biologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, medical experts and risk assessment specialists together with representatives from the business and industry community and governmental and intergovernmental agencies. The meeting agenda covered i.a. the mode of action of endocrine active substances, their environmental fate and metabolism; effects in experimental animals and humans, including epidemiological data; testing strategies for chemicals; effects on wildlife in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; and risk assessment methodologies.

The synthesis scientific monograph “Implications of Endocrine Active Substances for Humans and Wildlife - A SCOPE/IUPAC Project” was published in 2003 as a special issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Vol. 75, Nos. 11-12, ISBN 0-9678550-7-1. The Executive Summary, published in Chemistry international is available in the Publications section.

Last updated 16 June 2004