ECHA calls for a meeting of experts to discuss reproductive and repeated dose toxicity of cymoxanil

ECHA/NA/12/11
News alert
Media enquiries: ECHA Press

Helsinki, 18 April 2012 - Following consultation with the members of the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and the RAC rapporteurs for cymoxanil, ECHA invites the concerned parties to nominate experts to discuss specific scientific questions related to the classification of cymoxanil for reproductive toxicity and specific target organ toxicity. The meeting will be held in Helsinki on 11 June 2012. Registration will be open until 1 May 2012 on ECHA's website.

The proposal for harmonised classification and labelling (CLH) of cymoxanil was submitted by Austria in June 2011. During the public consultation and at subsequent RAC meetings, concerns were raised on the appropriateness of the proposal and whether the classifications for reproductive toxicity and specific target organ toxicity were warranted. Particular attention was given to the effects on male reproductive organs in repeated dose toxicity studies and whether classification for reproductive toxicity for adverse effects on sexual function and fertility was justified. Additional concerns regarding the effects on haematology, thymus and eyes in repeated dose toxicity studies in rats and dogs, and whether these justified classification for specific target organ toxicity were also raised.

In order to attend the expert meeting and to express their views, experts must be directly nominated by the parties concerned or via a stakeholder organisation. The experts will be asked to answer a set of key questions before and during the meeting and to provide responses to eventual follow-up questions by RAC members.

At the expert meeting, no decisions regarding the harmonisation of the classification and labelling of cymoxanil will be taken. Nevertheless, RAC will assess the outcome of the discussions during the opinion development process.