title: Critical comments on the WHO-UNEP State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals - 2012.
abstract: Early in 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a 2012 update to the 2002 State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. Several significant concerns have been identified that raise questions about conclusions reached in this report regarding endocrine disruption. First, the report is not a state-of-the-science review and does not follow the 2002 WHO recommended weight-of-evidence approach. Second, endocrine disruption is often presumed to occur based on exposure or a potential mechanism despite a lack of evidence to show that chemicals are causally established as endocrine disruptors. Additionally, causation is often inferred by the presentation of a series of unrelated facts, which collectively do not demonstrate causation. Third, trends in disease incidence or prevalence are discussed without regard to known causes or risk factors; endocrine disruption is implicated as the reason for such trends in the absence of evidence. Fourth, dose and potency are ignored for most chemicals discussed. Finally, controversial topics (i.e., low dose effects, non-monotonic dose response) are presented in a one-sided manner and these topics are important to understanding endocrine disruption. Overall, the 2012 report does not provide a balanced perspective, nor does it accurately reflect the state of the science on endocrine disruption.
authors: Exponent, 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite #500, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Electronic address: jlamb@exponent.com.
authors: James C
authors: JC
authors: Lamb
authors: The Tisch Cancer Institute and Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 17 East 102 Street Floor West Tower, 5th Floor Room 5-142, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: paolo.boffetta@gmail.com.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Boffetta
authors: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada. Electronic address: foster@mcmaster.ca.
authors: Warren G
authors: WG
authors: Foster
authors: Gradient, 20 University Road, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Electronic address: jgoodman@gradientcorp.com.
authors: Julie E
authors: JE
authors: Goodman
authors: Exponent, 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite #500, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Electronic address: khentz@exponent.com.
authors: Karyn L
authors: KL
authors: Hentz
authors: Gradient, 20 University Road, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Electronic address: lrhomberg@gradientcorp.com.
authors: Lorenz R
authors: LR
authors: Rhomberg
authors: Exponent, 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite #500, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Electronic address: jstaveley@exponent.com.
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Staveley
authors: Exponent, The Lenz, 1st Floor, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate HG2 8RE, UK. Electronic address: gswaen@exponent.com.
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Swaen
authors: Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada. Electronic address: gvanderk@uoguelph.ca.
authors: Glen
authors: G
authors: Van Der Kraak
authors: Exponent, 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite #500, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Electronic address: awilliams@exponent.com.
authors: Amy L
authors: AL
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants
keywords: Causation; Disease trends; Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs); Low-dose effects; Non-monotonic dose response (NMDR); State of the science; Weight of evidence