Before a pesticide is considered for registration in Canada, it must undergo extensive testing to determine the potential risks posed to human health and the environment and the pesticide’s value. Determining value includes assessing the efficacy of a product by determining whether it does what it claims to do and at what rate it should be applied.

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer in all of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries to carry out these detailed scientific tests and studies. To prevent data manipulation, the OECD developed an internationally accepted set of Test Guidelines and Principles of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) to promote the quality and validity of test data. It covers the organizational process and conditions under which non-clinical studies are planned, performed, monitored, recorded and reported. Independent trail audits can be conducted under the GLP guidelines at anytime to verify integrity of data.

The PMRA carefully reviews all the data submitted (including the raw data) to determine if the product is acceptable for use in Canada, and cross-checks between studies as an additional measure of validation of the final decisions. The Agency may also compare its results with regulatory counterparts in other countries such as the U.S. and members of the European Union, to ensure that similar conclusions are drawn from the evaluations.