DevToxBackground: The DevTox project  Berlin workshops    Project partners  Technical information

DevToxBackground: The DevTox project

The potential of a pesticide or biocide to cause adverse effects in the developing embryo or fetus is an important consideration in any health risk assessment for humans and wildlife. Such information is usually derived from experimental studies in which pregnant laboratory animals are exposed to various concentrations of compounds during critical stages of fetal development. The terms and diagnostic criteria used to describe fetal anomalies need to be consistent from one laboratory to another.

Consequently, the DevTox Project has three main objectives:

• to harmonize the nomenclature used to describe developmental anomalies in laboratory animals
• to assist in the visual recognition of developmental anomalies with the aid of photographs, and
• to provide a historical control database of developmental effects in laboratory animals.

A series of workshops held in Berlin brought together international participants from research, regulatory agencies and industry. The results of these meetings have been compiled and presented in a form which is likely to be of most benefit to professionals working in the field of developmental toxicology.

Although still in the planning phase it is envisaged that a historical control database detailing the naturally occuring incidence of fetal anomalies in untreated laboratory animals will soon become available. It is anticipated that the DevTox historical control database will be of greatest benefit to regulatory authorities involved in the registration of pesticides, chemicals, biocides and drugs.