Adequacy of required regulatory hazard testing for the detection of potential hormonal activity of crop protection chemicals.

The capacity of some synthetic chemicals, the so‐called “endocrine‐disrupting chemicals,”; to alter hormonal activity, as well as the adequacy of the testing of chemicals to evaluate this capacity, has been called into question. Among the chemicals indicted have been certain crop protection agents or pesticides. Crop protection chemicals rank among the most closely regulated and thoroughly tested chemicals in use in both the human health and environmental hazard areas. However, it has been proposed that in vitro and in vivo screening tests be used to identify potential endocrine‐active chemicals and to supplement or replace required regulatory bioassays. In vitro tests, such as receptor binding, examine a single chemical event, do not measure toxicity, post‐receptor‐mediated biological response, or the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of a chemical. Therefore, data derived solely from such a limited testing technique should not be used as a basis for selection of chemicals for making ...