Pesticides and Health
About the SIG
The ISEE Special Interest Group on Pesticides and Health is a global scientific community within the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) focused on i) advancing understanding of how pesticide exposures impact human health, ii) designing, testing and developing pesticide control options and related interventions for workers and the general population, including vulnerable subpopulation groups, iii) creating a forum for pesticide related policy changes. The aims of this ISEE Special Interest Group (SIG) are to:
- Provide a platform for various stakeholders to connect and collaborate with colleagues, worldwide, who share a scientific interest in pesticides and health topics.
- Establish a global scientific forum to exchange data, knowledge, foster collaboration, and develop scientific consortia that address health challenges posed by pesticides across diverse populations and vulnerable groups, at either local or regional or global scales.
Definition & Scope
The strategy of the SIG for the next five years would be composed of the main pillars: i) educational webinars, ii) access and analysis of global data, iii) publications, iv) design of a global pesticides cohort study, v) policy forum, and vi) novel methodologies.
The SIG scope encompasses:
- Environmental and occupational pesticide exposure assessment
- Human biomonitoring and exposure biomarkers
- Epidemiology of acute and chronic health effects
- Neurodevelopmental, neurological, reproductive, endocrine, metabolic, respiratory, and cancer outcomes
- Pesticide risk reduction interventions: design and testing of their effectiveness
- Vulnerable populations (workers, children, pregnant women, communities)
- Methodological innovations (novel study designs, exposome approaches, omics, mixtures, longitudinal designs)
- Risk assessment, regulation, and public health policy implications
Leadership
Chair: Konstantinos C. Makris
Co-Chair: Brenda Eskenazi
Point of Contact: ph@iseepi.org
Mission
To foster international collaboration on pesticide and health research and promote high-quality epidemiological and exposure science, hence facilitating dialogue between science, policy, and practice, and contributing to evidence-informed decision-making for the general population, its vulnerable groups and the occupational health sector.
Our Expertise
Members of the SIG bring expertise across multiple disciplines, including:
- Environmental and occupational epidemiology
- Exposure science and human biomonitoring
- Engineering and remediation
- Toxicology and risk assessment
- Biostatistics and data integration
- Exposome and multi-omics approaches
- Public health policy and regulatory science
- Social and behavioral sciences
This diversity enables comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches to pesticide-related health research.
Why this SIG Matters
Pesticides remain essential tools in agriculture and public health, yet they are also among the most widespread and potentially harmful environmental exposures worldwide. Millions of workers and communities - particularly in LMICs - are exposed daily, often with limited regulatory oversight or protection.
Understanding pesticide-related health risks is critical to:
- Prevent occupational and environmental diseases
- Control pesticide exposures with pragmatic and effective interventions
- Inform evidence-based regulations and safer use practices
- Reduce health inequities linked to pesticides and similar chemical exposures
- Support sustainable agriculture options and public health strategies
The SIG contributes to addressing these challenges by strengthening the scientific evidence base and supporting its translation into policies and action.
Our SIG supports decision making systems and processes that:
- Are grounded in the precautionary principle
- Periodically assess the most up to date scientific evidence towards informed decision making
- Ensure open science principles, transparency, scientific integrity, and public trust
- Prioritize sustainable human and environmental health benefits over short-term economic gains.
- Engage with all stakeholders at all life cycle stages
Through scientific dialogue, knowledge dissemination, and expert engagement and consultations, the SIG contributes to evidence-informed policy discussions aimed at protecting public and environmental health while supporting sustainable agricultural practices from farm to fork.
As a scientific network dedicated to understanding the health impacts of pesticide exposures and options for controlling them, the SIG emphasizes the importance of robust, transparent, and science-based regulatory processes.
Join our SIG
We invite expressions of interest from members who wish to join this ISEE SIG on Pesticides and Health.
- We particularly encourage scientists from low- and middle-income countries to participate.
- There is no membership fee to join.
By joining the SIG, members can:
- Engage with an international community of experts
- Participate in scientific discussions and events
- Contribute to collaborative research and initiatives
- Stay informed about advances in pesticide and health research
Join by completing the form below: