EPA Significantly Strengthens and Expands Protections for Human Studies Research

(excerpted from EPA website)

Under the new rules announced on January 26, 2006, all third-party intentional dosing research on pesticides involving children and pregnant women intended for submission to EPA is banned, and EPA will neither conduct nor support any intentional dosing studies that involve pregnant women or children for all substances EPA regulates. EPA is extending new ethical protections to adult (non-pregnant) subjects involved in intentional dosing human studies for pesticides. Now adult volunteers who choose to participate in this research will be protected by EPA’s new, high ethical standards. These final regulations adopt and implement many of the recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences, have benefited from public comments, and adhere to the legislation passed by Congress in August 2005.

The rule is available here: Federal Register