ICPEMC was formed in 1977 at the initiative of Professor Frits Sobels, following preliminary
discussions between a few senior members of the European and American Environmental
Mutagen Societies. Japan came into the picture, with Dr. Takashi Sugimura's presence, at the
foundation meeting in Research Triangle Park. One of the intentions was that ICPEMC should
act as a forum where consensus views could emerge on the various areas of controversy so that
authoritative statements and recommendations could be made. It was quickly found, however,
that whole new areas of science needed to be developed if the results from short-term tests were
to be applied to humans. Promotion of the development of these new areas has been as much a
part of ICPEMC's activities as the resolution of controversies and the issuance of authoritative
recommendations and statements. It has been a characteristic of ICPEMC's work that the
limitations of the scientific basis for any statement or advice are always acknowledged.
ICPEMC was formed following preliminary discussions between senior members of the
European, American and Japanese Environmental Mutagen Societies. The decision to form an
International Commission for Protection against Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens,
somewhat analogous to ICRP in the field of ionizing radiation, was taken at a conference
organized by the Institut de la Vie at Fort de France (Martinique) in January 1976. The idea was
further consolidated at a planning conference of the Institut de la Vie under the Chairmanship of
Professor G.J. Ebert at Woods Hole in June 1976. The actual foundation of ICPEMC, in close
association with IAEMS and with financial support generously provided by the Institut de la Vie
through its founding director Professor Maurice Marois, took place at a meeting organized by Dr.
Fred de Serres at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle
Park in January 1977. Professor Frits Sobels was elected the first ICPEMC Chairman.
The objectives of ICPEMC are to identify and promote scientific principles and to make
recommendations that may serve as the basis for guidelines and regulations designed to minimize
deleterious effects in humans, and other biota upon which humans depend, due to the interaction
of chemicals with genetic material.
The commission's main activities involve (a) the preparation of authoritative critical reviews
of the current body of knowledge that may serve to establish priorities for further research or
possible regulatory action, (b) the identification of substances or situations that may entail
significant human genotoxic risk, and (c) development of methods for quantification of the risk
and its management. In pursuit of these strategies the Commission has been concerned to identify
not only the available facts but also the areas of ignorance.
Copies of the constitution may be obtained from the Secretary. Basically, although
affiliated to IAEMS, and with the Chairman of IAEMS as an ex-officio member, the
Commission determines its own policies.
A Nominating Committee is charged to seek widely for member and officer candidates so as to
maintain a wide range of scientific expertise and, whenever possible, a broad geographical
distribution. Elections are by secret ballot preceded by a full discussion of all candidates.
Statements, reviews and recommendations issued by the Commission shall be seen to be free of
bias by virtue of the integrity and scientific competence of the members. Members are bound to
declare the existence of any significant conflict of interest, financial or otherwise, in any matter
and the Chairman has the responsibility for determining the extent to which a member declaring
such a situation shall participate in consideration of that matter.
Members of the Commission receive no payment of any kind for their activities. The
Commission was initially sponsored by the international scientific foundation Institut de la Vie.
More recently the costs of meetings have been borne by various national funding sources
(particularly The Netherlands, Japan and Germany) and branches of the EC and WHO. Some of
the Commission's activities are supported by contracts or awards for specific activities from
various national and international bodies. The Commission is prepared to consider undertaking
such contracts on a "no strings" basis.
The Commission has identified several areas for study. One is to continue its work on
identifying human exposure to specific substances that might give rise to a genetic risk. Another
is to advise about the most effective use of short-term genotoxicity tests. Many of the tests
currently in use, particularly those involving cultured mammalian cells, are prone to generate
false results under certain conditions. A third goal is to promote understanding of the
relationship between mutagenicity and carcinogenicity, particularly in the context of short term
testing. One aspect of this will involve a critical review of the role of oncogene activation or
expression and other molecular aspects in carcinogenesis and the possible implications for
short term testing. In this context the mechanistic models for "non-genotoxic carcinogens" will
also be considered. Further, the development of methods of risk analysis constitutes one of the
primary areas of activity. ICPEMC has organized major initiatives that should contribute to a
better understanding of genetic risk. One is the establishment of a committee to consider the
nature and mechanism of formation of spontaneous mutations and the other is the evaluation of
methods for detection of somatic and germ cell risk in humans.
The increasing complexity of the problems associated with genetic toxicology has reinforced
significantly the need for the commission's activities and the program outlined in the years
ahead.
