EPA Indefinitely Extends Emerging Viral Pathogen Guidance For COVID-19

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it has indefinitely extended its emerging viral pathogens (EVP) guidance for antimicrobial pesticides. This allows registrants with a pre-qualified EVP designation to continue to claim the efficacy of their antimicrobial products against viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

EPA regulates antimicrobial pesticides—which include household disinfectants and sanitizers—under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). These products cannot be sold absent registration with EPA under FIFRA, which typically requires that any claims for the product's use against a specific pathogen be supported by EPA-reviewed data. EPA's review of data can often take a year or longer. The emergence of new viral pathogens complicates this process, as antimicrobial product manufacturers must both test their products' efficacy against the emerging pathogen and