Case Studies for Evaluating a Framework for Assessing Risk to Children from Exposure to Environmental Agents.

Objective/Intended Use

To develop a framework for assessing human health risks from exposures to environmental agents from conception through adolescence.

Abstract

Over the past decade there has been a dramatic increase in the recognition and public health concern for children as a potentially susceptible population for exposure to environmental agents. The recently convened workshop to develop a framework for assessing the risks to children from exposure to environmental agents drafted a framework based on the now-familiar Problem Formulation, Analysis, and Risk Characterization structure. Breakout groups focused on approaches for the application of the current state of knowledge on life-stage-dependent changes in toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics, along with age- and behavior-related exposure differences, to characterization of risks for the developing organism. During the workshop it was already clear that an important next step would be to test the framework with selected case studies and, in the process, to elaborate and further refine the framework.

Project Status

A Panel of Experts selected chemicals for developing 3-5 case studies and background information is being assembled.