Advances in Work on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
IPEN and representatives from numerous Participating Organizations have recently organized and/or participated in two important meetings relating to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs): the "1st African Conference on the Health Effects of Endocrine Disruptors - Challenges and Opportunities" (which took place in Skukuza, South Africa, from 2 – 6 November), and an "NGO meeting on European Policy on EDCs" (which took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 11 and 12 November).
The "1st African Conference on the Health Effects of Endocrine Disruptors - Challenges and Opportunities" was organized by the Environmental Chemical Pollution and Health Research Unit in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria in cooperation with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) from the United States. Amongst others, participants included academic researchers, government representatives from South Africa, and industry representatives.
The scientific sessions at the conference included the following topics:
• Overview of Current Status of EDCs
• Human Health Effects
• Wildlife and EDC exposure
• Gene-by-environment effects
• Methods and emerging endpoints
• Unique challenges in Africa
• Economic Impacts and Policy Development
In addition, a student symposium covered the following topics:
• EDCs- Which chemicals, sources, routes of exposure?
• Understanding principles of Endocrinology
• Developmental origins of adult disease
• Epigenetics and trans-generational effects
• Low doses and non-monotonic dose responses
• Secular changes in endocrine diseases and disorders
The meeting included two important categories of information:
A growing body of data in Africa indicates that exogenous chemicals, or mixtures of chemicals, can interfere with hormone action
and
Increasing evidence indicates that endocrine disrupting chemicals are not manageable
IPEN Senior Science and Technical Advisor Joe DiGangi gave a presentation on “Translating EDC research outcomes into Policy and Action: Challenges and Opportunities.”
More information about the conference, including abstracts and the program, can be found here
The "NGO Meeting on European Policy on EDCs" was organized by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), supported by the European Environment and Health Initiative, and attended by members of the EDC-Free Europe NGO Coalition.
The aim of the Coalition is to work towards a good EDCs policy at the European level. Currently, the main work of the Coalition is to achieve criteria for EDCs that lead to protection of human health and the environment. The options for criteria, presented by the European Union (EU), can be found here at page 4f.
Find out more about the EDC-Free Coalition here
One outcome of the "NGO Meeting on European Policy on EDCs" was that appointments were made with approximately 30 members of the European Parliament to raise their awareness on EDCs issues. Discussions were also held about how to share information about the EU experience with NGO colleagues working on EDCs issues outside the EU. IPEN Steering Committee Members Genon Jensen (HEAL) and Alexandra Caterbow (WECF), who is also the Co-Chair of IPEN's EDCs Working Group, attended the meeting. 