4.EXPLANATORY NOTES TO THE STEPS I-VII OF THE ECETOC 7SI-ED

• Step I: Gathering of relevant information with regard to adverse effects and endocrine modes-of-action (MoA)
• Step II: Evaluation of quality, reliability, reproducibility and consistency of the individual studies
• Step III: Evaluation and summary of the evidence for an adverse effect
• Step IV: Evaluation and summary of the evidence for endocrine activity (and non-endocrine activity, if available)
• Step V: Integration of the evidence and evaluation of biological plausibility that adverse effect and endocrine activity are linked by specific endocrine MoA
• Step VI: Identification of uncertainties
• Step VII: Conclusions on endocrine disrupting properties