Annex B

This is a paper for discussion. This does not represent the views of the Committee and should not be cited.

Literature search

Search terms

1.            Search terms presented in the EFSA opinion were replicated for the searches.

Scopus (search terms in all fields)

( TITLE-ABS-KEY ( perfluoro*  OR  pfos  OR  pfoa  OR  pfas  OR  "fluorotelomer alcohol"  OR  polyfluoro* )  AND  TITLE-ABS-KEY ( toxicity  OR  *toxi*  OR  acute  OR  subacute  OR  subchronic  OR  chronic  OR  mutagen*  OR  carcino*  OR  cardiotox*  OR  genotox*  OR  reprotox*  OR  nephrotox*  OR  neurotox*  OR  hepatotox*  OR  immune  OR  immuno*  OR  hematotox*  OR  haematotox*  OR  cytotox*  OR  "developmental tox*"  OR  thyroid  OR  endocri*  OR  endocrine  OR  estrogen  OR  oestrogen  OR  fertility  OR  tumour  OR  tumor  OR  gestat*  OR  lactat*  OR  "DNA damage"  OR  mortality  OR  adverse  OR  "adverse effect"  OR  "blood lipid*"  OR  "serum lipid*"  OR  ppar  OR  "ex vivo"  OR  "in vitro"  OR  "in vivo"  OR  cell*  OR  tissue* )  AND  TITLE-ABS-KEY ( rodent*  OR  mouse  OR  animal*  OR  rat*  OR  mice  OR  rabbit*  OR  dog*  OR  monkey* ) )  AND  ( EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "CHEM" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "MATE" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "CENG" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "ENGI" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "PHYS" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "COMP" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "EART" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "ENER" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "SOCI" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "ECON" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "BUSI" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "ARTS" ) )  AND  ( LIMIT-TO ( DOCTYPE ,  "ar" )  OR  LIMIT-TO ( DOCTYPE ,  "re" ) )  AND  ( LIMIT-TO ( LANGUAGE ,  "English" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE ,  "Russian" )  OR  EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE ,  "Spanish" ) )  AND  ( EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE ,  "Italian" ) )  AND  ( EXCLUDE ( SUBJAREA ,  "MATH" ) ): 5449

PubMed (search terms in title and abstract)

(("perfluoro*"[Title/Abstract] OR "pfos"[Title/Abstract] OR "pfoa"[Title/Abstract] OR "pfas"[Title/Abstract] OR "fluorotelomer alcohol"[Title/Abstract] OR polyfluoro*) AND ("toxicity"[Title/Abstract] OR "toxi*"[Title/Abstract] OR "acute"[Title/Abstract] OR "subacute"[Title/Abstract] OR "subchronic"[Title/Abstract] OR "chronic"[Title/Abstract] OR "mutagen*"[Title/Abstract] OR "carcino*"[Title/Abstract] OR "cardiotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "genotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "reprotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "nephrotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "neurotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "hepatotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "immune"[Title/Abstract] OR "immuno*"[Title/Abstract] OR "hematotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "haematotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "cytotox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "developmental tox*"[Title/Abstract] OR "thyroid"[Title/Abstract] OR "endocri*"[Title/Abstract] OR "endocrine"[Title/Abstract] OR "estrogen"[Title/Abstract] OR "oestrogen"[Title/Abstract] OR "fertility"[Title/Abstract] OR "tumour"[Title/Abstract] OR "tumor"[Title/Abstract] OR "gestat*"[Title/Abstract] OR "lactat*"[Title/Abstract] OR "DNA damage"[Title/Abstract] OR "mortality"[Title/Abstract] OR "adverse"[Title/Abstract] OR "adverse effect"[Title/Abstract] OR "blood lipid*"[Title/Abstract] OR "serum lipid*"[Title/Abstract] OR "ppar"[Title/Abstract] OR "ex vivo"[Title/Abstract] OR "in vitro"[Title/Abstract] OR "in vivo"[Title/Abstract] OR "cell*"[Title/Abstract] OR "tissue*"[Title/Abstract]) AND ("rodent*"[Title/Abstract] OR "mouse"[Title/Abstract] OR "animal*"[Title/Abstract] OR "rat"[Title/Abstract] OR "mice"[Title/Abstract] OR "rabbit*"[Title/Abstract] OR "dog"[Title/Abstract] OR "monkey*"[Title/Abstract])) AND (english[Filter])): 2569.

2.            Data from both searches were combined and duplicates removed giving a total of 3397 papers.

3.            To identify papers on specific endpoints key words were used to search in all fields in Endnote.  Key words included, but were not limited to,

• Thyro,
•  TSH,
•  T3,
• T4,
• Thyroxine,
•  Triiodothyronine,
• Hypertrophy,
•  Thyroid stimulating hormone.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

4.            Generic inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria were applied to the data retrieved (Table 25).

Table 25. Generic inclusion and exclusion criteria used during primary screening of titles