OECD activity on endocrine disrupters test guidelines development

The OECD endocrine disrupter activity was initiated in November 1996. A Task Force on Endocrine Disrupter Testing and Assessment (EDTA) has been established in 1997 to oversee the programme. One of the most important outcomes of EDTA is the development of an initial framework for the testing of endocrine disrupting substances consisting of three tiers, initial assessment, screening and testing. Another major outcome of EDTA is agreement to launch a co-operation project on the validation of new and enhanced guidelines for assessment of endocrine disruption in both mammalian and non-mammalian species. With respect to the assessment of endocrine disrupters on wildlife, it was generally recognised that the development of methods for detection of endocrine disrupting effects on wildlife is at the level of pre-validation or optimisation method. In this regard, two main areas of development of endocrine disruption test protocols are currently under investigation: testing in fish and in birds.