Past and Present of International Collaboration on Birth Defects Monitoring Systems

Since the thalidomide episode, a number of monitoring systems for birth defects have been developed in Europe and America. The International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Monitoring Systems founded in 1974 plays a key role as the sole world-wide international information exchanging and collaborating centre. EUROCAT (EEC Concerted Action: Registration of Congenital Abnormalities and Multiple Births) established in 1979 is taking its action engulfing now 17 cities in member countries. The author states an introductory review on the work of the two international organizations with special reference to Japanese situation around the birth defects monitoring systems.