CURRENT TESTING PROGRAMS FOR PESTICIDES ADEQUATELY CAPTURE ENDOCRINE ACTIVITY AND ADVERSITY FOR PROTECTION OF VERTEBRATE WILDLIFE.

The toxicity and ecotoxicity of pesticide active ingredients are evaluated by a number of standardized test methods using vertebrate animals. These standard test methods are required under various regulatory programs for the registration of pesticides. Over the past two decades, additional test methods have been developed with endpoints that are responsive to endocrine activity and subsequent adverse effects. This paper examines the available test methods and their endpoints that are relevant for an assessment of endocrine disrupting properties of pesticides. Furthermore, the paper highlights how weight of evidence approaches should be applied to determine whether an adverse response in (eco)toxicity tests are caused by an endocrine mechanism of action (MoA). The large number of endpoints in the current testing paradigms for pesticides make it unlikely that endocrine activity and adversity is being overlooked. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;00:0-0. © 2023 SETAC.