The seminar on Problem Formulation for the Risk Assessment of Biopesticides stemmed from a previous CRP-sponsored event on Innovating Microbial Pesticide Testing that identified the need for an overarching guidance document to determine when in vivo tests are necessary. Problem Formulation, a common practice in pesticide risk assessment, was highlighted as a useful approach for addressing uncertainties in data requirements for biopesticides.
The seminar featured presentations from various perspectives, including industry, regulatory bodies, and academia. Topics included the history and principles of Problem Formulation, industry perspectives on Problem Formulation and how it is applied internally for microbial pesticides, regulatory approaches, and specific case studies. The seminar provided an overview of the challenges, considerations, and potential solutions in harmonising Problem Formulation for biopesticide risk assessment. It emphasised the need for collaboration and discussion to develop Problem Formulation guidance for biopesticides.
