NRP 50 "Endocrine Disruptors: Relevance to Humans, Animals and Ecosystems" 

The National Research Programme "Endocrine Disruptors: Relevance to Humans, Animals and Ecosystems" (NRP 50)  aimed to develop scientific strategies to assess the risks and hazards that arise when endocrine disruptors are processed through ecosystems to cause human and animal exposure. Methods and models suitable to assess the endocrine activity of these chemicals or chemical mixtures were established and the mechanisms of action, and their effects on developmental and reproductive processes were investigated. The magnitude of exposure of humans, domestic animals, wildlife and environment in Switzerland and the resulting hazards and risks were assessed. The NRP aimed to create a consensus platform for industry and regulators on how to avoid the negative impact of today's chemicals of this category. In the pursuit of this goal, the NRP aimed to define a set of rules for future development of pertinent substances.

Framework: CHF 15'000'000
Duration: 5 Years
President of the steering committee: Felix R. Althaus, Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Veterinärmedizinische Fakultät, Universität Zürich
Implementation Officer: Marcel Trachsel, int/ext Communications AG, Basel
Programme coordinator: Barbara Flückiger , FNS
Work launch: January 2002
End of research: June 2007