Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents (also known as CICADs) are published by the World Health Organization

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...

 within the framework of the International Programme on Chemical Safety

International Programme on Chemical Safety

The International Programme on Chemical Safety was formed in 1980 and is a collaboration between three United Nations bodies—the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme to establish the scientific basis for safe use of...

 (IPCS). They describe the toxicological

Toxicology

Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...

 properties of chemical compound

Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...

s.

CICADs are prepared in draft form by one or two experts from national bodies such as the US CDC, and then peer review

Peer review

Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...

ed by an international group of experts. They do not constitute the official policy of any of the bodies which contribute to their publication.