Draft protocol for a systematic evidence map of methods to measure hormones related to estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways in fish, birds and amphibians

Systematic map protocol

Within the EU, the approval of pesticides is regulated by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. An amendment to this Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 2018/605), which establishes the scientific criteria for the identification of pesticide active substances with endocrine disrupting (ED) properties, was published in April 2018. In June 2018, EFSA, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) published a guidance document on the implementation of the scientific criteria, this publication primarily addresses the Estrogen, Androgen, Steroidogenesis and Thyroid, known as ‘EATS’, modalities in vertebrates. It specifically included recommendations on how to perform hormonal measurements in mammalians. However, when it comes to non-mammalian vertebrate test guidelines (TG), there are a number of ‘gaps’ which need to be filled to fully address assessment of ‘EATS’ modalities and mirror mammalian TGs. To harmonise vertebrate OECD TGs, these additional endpoints need to be investigated and therefore some guidance on how to perform, report and evaluate hormonal measurements in fish, birds and amphibians needs to be prepared. The overall aim of this systematic evidence map is therefore to collect and analyse data in support of the ED assessment (Estrogen, Androgen, Steroidogenesis and Thyroid) for non-target vertebrates in order to develop recommendations on how to perform, report and interpret hormonal measurements in fish, amphibians and birds in toxicity studies.

This draft protocol is now being published on the open repository Zenodo as part of an 'open peer review' process, inviting the wider scientific community to comment on the systematic mapping methodology aiming to collate literature that addresses the development, optimisation and/or validation hormone measurement methods in fish, amphibian and bird species.

Comments and feedback via this form Feedback until Monday 20th May 2019 23:59 (CET).