TiPED: A new tool to eliminate endocrine disrupting chemicals from new products

A group of 23 scientists has devised a new tool which will help manufacturers to produce materials and products that are free of endocrine dirsupting chemicals (EDCs). TiPED (The Tiered Protocol for Endocrine Disruption) is based on a five-tier testing regime which "broadly interrogates the endocrine system to determine whether a chemical of interest has the potential to disrupt it."

EDCs are chemicals, like bisphenol A, PCBs and triclosan, which interfere with the action of hormones in humans and other living species, affecting the various endocrine signalling systems like the pituitary gland, the thyroid glands, the ovaries and the testes. They have been linked to a variety of effects such as obesity, diabetes, reproductive system modifications and learning problems. EDCs have often been found in consumer products and TiPED has been created to help prevent this happening in the future.

The five tiers of detection can be used independently or together. They involve computer-based approaches to assess a molecule; targeted-cell assays; cell process assessments of process and function; fish and amphibian whole animal assessment; mammalian whole animal assessment. The tool can be used at the preliminary stages of product development to prevent the introduction of EDCs as early as possible.

The launch of TiPED is linked to the publication of a paper "Designing endocrine disruption out of the next generation of chemicals" which is available for full download from the TiPED web site.