ECPA seeks epidemiological study research proposals
The proposed project will run for 3 years and ECPA is currently seeking proposals from interested parties, including individual experts, research institutes and other professional bodies. The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday 4 November 2016.
Retrospective assessment of exposure to plant protection products (PPPs) has been identified as the pivotal weakness of many epidemiology studies focusing on PPPs and the health of occupational users and broader agricultural communities. In particular, a reliable reconstruction and valid assessment of exposures which have occurred many years in the past, has not been possible. Reasons for this include the complexity of exposure, its large variation, its seasonality, the significant impact of the formulation type and use of protective equipment, the type of application equipment, the lack of environmental measurements on past exposure circumstances, and the influence of the weather during actual application. In addition, self-reported exposure information is subject to recall bias. These problems are well recognised within the regulatory and scientific community and ECPA has rated the improvement of exposure assessment as the highest priority for epidemiological research investigating the potential effects of long term PPP exposure on health.
Further details related to the request for proposals (RfP) are available in this document.