Reduction of health risks from endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are a recognized public health priority and emerging policy issue for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). They have been shown to be associated with hormone-related cancers, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and reproductive problems. Exposure occurs through consumer products and environmental pollution. The risk for health is especially high for exposure occurring in infants and children, since during early development multiple developing tissues may be affected.

Involvement of the health sector in chemicals management would benefit the collection of information and the prevention of health effects. In particular, health risks from endocrine-disrupting chemicals could be reduced through more comprehensive assessments and testing methods that take health into account, with substantial socioeconomic savings for public health.

WHO/Europe promotes epidemiological studies, monitoring of diseases potentially related to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and monitoring of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment and consumer products, as well as facilitating networking and information sharing.