The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has on a request from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) performed a health risk assessment of the new insecticide Plenum 50 WG containing the new active substance pymetrozine. VKM concludes that the effects reported in repeated dose toxicity studies with dogs should be considered as adverse. The increased incidence of liver and lung tumors from these studies should be considered as relevant for humans. It cannot be

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... that a genotoxic mechanism could be involved in the formation of the liver tumors. VKM therefore suggests a consideration of testing pymetrozine in more sensitive in vivo genotoxic endpoints in liver. VKM also concludes that the effects reported in teratogenicity studies in rats and rabbits and in a developmental neurotoxicity study in rats should be considered for a classification of pymetrozine for developmental toxicity. Risk calculations with the two operator exposure models;the German model and the UK POEM show low risk if personal protection equipment is used.