IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety
28 March 2002
Vol.2 No.3
Information Circular
IPCS HARMONIZATION OF APPROACHES TO THE ASSESSMENT
TO CHEMICALS: AN UPDATE @ WWW.IPCSHARMONIZE.ORG
OF
RISK
FROM
EXPOSURE
The recommendations for harmonized approaches to risk assessment has been a priority area
since UNCED 1992. Most recently, in October 2000, Forum III re-enforced this effort and
recommended that “common principles for harmonized approaches for performing and
reporting health and environmental risk assessments … be developed as soon as possible.”
Specifically, it is stated that “By 2004, IPCS and the IOMC participating organizations should
have ensured that recommendations for common principles be available” in a number of
technical areas and that “by 2005, at least 5 countries in each IFCS region should have full
arrangements in place for exchange of information on hazardous chemicals.” Known as the
IFCS Priorities for Action beyond 2000, the full text of the recommendation can be found in
Annex 6 of the Forum III Final Report located on the IFCS web site at
www.ifcs.int/ifcs/forum3/final.htm.
Since the Harmonization Project was initiated in 1994, a number of processes and products
have been established and developed to further harmonization of approaches used by
countries and organizations and to make these goals a reality. Work has proceeded in 7
priority areas: reproductive and developmental toxicity, mutagenicity, cancer risk assessment,
general quantitative approaches to non-cancer assessment, exposure assessment, inventory of
hazard/risk assessment methods and general hazard/risk assessment terminology. In addition,
much emphasis has been placed within the past year on communication. Future activities will
include work in the neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity areas as well on harmonizing cancer
and non-cancer approaches. Additionally, information-sharing and cross-linking within IPCS
and with other IOMC organizations so as to contribute to or benefit from other ongoing
efforts such as endocrine disruptors and the use of clinical/human data in risk assessment will
continue. Work on emerging areas such as the role of genomics and proteomics data in risk
assessment, will be pursued as priorities and resources allow.
To establish priorities and help ensure success, the IPCS secretariat receives advice and
guidance from the Harmonization Steering Committee. Committee members provide input
on directions, priorities and the implementation of outputs through all stages of development
so as to ensure success and represent all chemicals sectors. As stated in our strategic plan, the
implementation of the Harmonization Project and use of its products will lead to benefits for
all.
The importance of harmonization is not only that it provides a forum for scientific exchange,
but that it also promotes greater sharing of assessment burden between countries and has the
capacity to increase the number and availability of chemical risk assessments worldwide, thus
supporting better risk management decisions and actions. Harmonization is about
Secretariat: c/o World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
Tel: +41 (22) 791 3873/4333/3650; Fax: +41 (22) 791 4875; Email: ifcs@who.ch; Website: www.ifcs.ch
incorporating scientific advances into risk assessment and creating credible future approaches
by working together for the benefit of all. To achieve success, it is incumbent upon risk
assessment scientists from academia, government, industry and the NGO community to
participate in harmonization activities. In turn, benefits will be gained by all sectors.
A number of products have been developed and are in use by many countries and
organizations and include:




Qualitative scheme for the assessment of mutagenicity
Framework for evaluating an animal mode of action for chemical carcinogenesis
Guidance for the use of chemical-specific adjustment factors
Glossary and atlas of structural anomalies in animals, developed in collaboration with
the International Federation of Teratology Societies (IFTS)
 IPCS/OECD Glossary of Hazard/Risk Assessment Terminology (joint project with
OECD)
 Glossary of key exposure assessment terms and compendium of exposure assessment
glossaries
Each product is developed to address specific issues identified as barriers to harmonization in
specific technical areas. Frameworks and glossaries are provided for use as tools in
understanding and assessing available data and communicating conclusions and outputs, thus
resulting in harmonized approaches.
Information on the project in general (including Steering Committee members), outputs, the
various ongoing activities of the Harmonization Project, future directions as well as processes
used and contributors can be obtained through the Harmonization website:
http://www.ipcsharmonize.org. It is envisioned that this website will become the focal point
for communication of hazard/risk assessment approaches and developments, by identifying
and highlighting issues, transmitting products and promoting harmonization. Members of the
Forum are encouraged to contact the IPCS or any Steering Committee member to provide
comments and any contributions in support of the Harmonization Project.