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Introduction
After the publication of the Supplement to the Intermediary
Report by the Advisory Committee was published in December 2001,
important tasks related to the health effects of endocrine
disruptors have been studied chiefly by surveys. This document
summarizes the results of this study, and reviews and renews the
action plan presented in the Supplement with the results taken
into account.
While endocrine disruptors are suspected for serious problems in
the genital and nerve systems by affecting the endocrine system,
it is not yet clear which compounds are specifically endocrine
disrupting. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been
conducting studies and surveys necessary to elucidate this
problem in cooperation with other government agencies and
international organizations.
The Interim Report (November 1998) categorized the tasks for
human health into those needed to complement lacking data and
those whose solution necessitates state-of-the-art scientific
studies, and established an action plan for addressing the tasks
(see Appendix).
Major tasks for future activities, indicated by the results of
the studies after the Interim Report, can be classified into
seven categories: investigations on the inverted U effect
(low-dose problem); application of HTPS (high throughput
pre-screening); studies on screening methods using mammals;
development of the methodology that ensures identification of
endocrine disruption in the definitive studies; establishment of
sampling and analytical procedures; gathering and analysis of
information on exposure as well as epidemiologic studies; and
improvements in risk communication. The Supplement to the
Interim Report summarized the results of the activities on these
subjects obtained by the five working groups listed below, and
proposed an action plan.
(1) Test scheme
(2) Sampling and analysis
(3) Low-dose problem
(4) Exposure survey and epidemiology
(5) Risk communication
Results of the studies based on the action plan proposed in the
Supplement to the Interim Report, principally supported by the
Health and Labor Research Grant, were presented to the 14th and
15th meeting of the Advisory Committee. Similarly to the
occasion of publishing the Supplement, the 15th meeting
summarized those results, decided on the organization of five
working groups, and identified tasks to be addressed in future.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare should follow the
action plan to implement the required activities for improved
human health.
The present document was edited with special attention to
facilitate understanding of the research results. |
