Funding agency: World Health Organization

Objective

The objective was to systematically map existing human observational evidence particularly Case Fatality Rates (CFRs) to assess the toxic potency of pesticides in real-world poisoning events. The review sought to support refinement of the WHO Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard, which currently relies largely on animal toxicity data.

Methodology

A structured scoping review approach was used to identify, extract, and synthesize human-based clinical outcome data from global literature. Emphasis was placed on capturing CFRs from observational studies to evaluate human toxicity and compare it against existing hazard classifications.

Key Findings

The review found that high-quality human clinical data on pesticide poisoning remain limited despite the significant public health burden. Importantly, CFRs were confirmed as a reliable and necessary indicator of acute human toxicity. The report recommended the systematic incorporation of CFRs into statutory pesticide reviews to better identify and regulate Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), ensuring that classifications reflect actual human health risks rather than relying solely on animal models.