Global Harmonization Of Pesticide Regulation: Greater Transparency Of The Risk Assessment Process Is A Prerequisite

Global harmonization of regulation for pesticides is an obvious good thing. If a consensus process for approving safe uses of pesticides for all countries could be developed (although certain local options would still likely be needed), all four interested parties — consumers, farmers and other users, regulators, and pesticide manufacturers — would benefit. For consumers, the result would be increased confidence in safer pesticides, a more diverse diet, and a healthier environment. For farmers, the result would be an increased availability of critical tools for crop protection with increased productivity, profits and trade. For other users — for example, in public health protection — the technology to control disease vectors will advance. For regulators, the result would be an increased global collegiality, a leveraging of multiple resources, expertise and mutual support, and a general increase in confidence that the best science available is being used. For the pesticide industry, the result would be a vastly simpler risk assessment and registration process, as the snarl of hundreds of national regulatory agency requirements becomes simplified. The potential cost relief for new pesticide development would be enormous.