Criteria for identifying and classifying carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens

Increasingly good science is being done in uncovering and identifying chemical hazards and risks. However, we lack an adequate language worldwide for communicating the conclusions of toxicological science with all its inherent uncertainty. Effective communication of chemical hazards and risks requires a basic framework of definitions or criteria, representative of current science, upon which adequate language for communicating conclusions can be based. This paper puts forth a set of working criteria offering consistent guidance for identifying and classifying carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens. These criteria prepresent an attempt to (1) harmonize principles in the hazard identification of carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic substances; (2) provide guidance for the purpose of judging the relevance of experimental data, on a weight of evidence approach; and (3) serve as a constructive factor in discussions with authorities when differences in respective regulations are an issue. These criteria may serve as a consistent and harmonized basis upon which chronic health hazards are classified and identified for health protection purposes.