Since the 1980s, epidemiological studies have suggested a link between occupational exposure to pesticides and the onset of various diseases (cancers, neurological disorders, reproductive disorders). These studies have also drawn attention to the potential effects of exposure—even at low levels—during critical periods of development (in utero and during childhood). In this context, the Directorate General for Health asked Inserm to conduct a review of the available scientific literature to provide evidence on the health risks associated with occupational exposure to pesticides, particularly in the agricultural sector, and on the effects of early exposure on the fetus and young children. To address this request, Inserm relied on a multidisciplinary group of experts comprising epidemiologists specializing in environmental health or occupational health, and biologists specializing in cellular and molecular toxicology. Based on data from the international scientific literature published over the past 30 years and analyzed by these experts, there appears to be a positive association between occupational exposure to pesticides and certain diseases in adults: Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, and certain hematopoietic cancers (non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma). Furthermore, exposure to pesticides during the prenatal and perinatal periods, as well as during early childhood, appears to pose a particular risk to child development. (Publisher’s presentation)