At this one-day symposium we would like to paint a picture of the status quo on pesticide exposure and hazard assessment by inviting the leading Swiss experts from the research, regulatory and industry communities. In light of the upcoming popular initiatives aiming to restrict or ban the use of synthetic pesticides, what is the current state of the evidence on the health hazards of pesticides? Considering the public concern with pesticides, we would further like to give some insight into the perspectives of risk perception, communication and management. Finally, we would like to discuss how published research (in vitro, in vivo, epidemiology) on potential adverse health effects of marketed pesticides can have a regulatory impact.