Work

Endocrine disruptors: recommendations for grouping and read-across approaches

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Minimizing exposure to endocrine disruptors (EDs) is high on the political agenda in the EU and in the Nordic region. One tool to speed up these efforts is by regulating groups of substances. In a recent project, we explored whether EDs require special attention when conducting grouping and read-across through analyses of case examples of substance groupings involving EDs. Some cases aimed at data-gap filling through read-across, while others focussed solely on the grouping approach. For each example, we evaluated advantages, challenges, uncertainties and regulatory perspectives, and synthesized key learnings. Based on these insights, we developed recommendations for grouping and read-across, which were incorporated into a proposed simplified workflow to support the grouping of substances, including EDs. The main findings were that EDs can be grouped similarly to other chemicals, but their complex hazard profiles require special consideration. Structural features decisive of distinct ED activities should be identified, groupings should begin with the broadest plausible group, data-rich substances should be included irrespective of their use or regulatory status, and (Q)SARs are important for guiding grouping decisions.

Source: Environmental Endocrinology

DOI: 10.1093/enendo/wkaf004