Accomplishments of the Human Health Program (2000-2005)

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EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) has made many research contributions to address scientific uncertainties in how humans may be impacted by environmental contaminants. The following list provides highlights of recent human health research accomplishments from 2000-2005. The accomplishments, organized by long-term goal, also are available in the current version of the Human Health Program Multi-year Plan (PDF) (113 pp, 536 KB). This multi-year plan for FY2006-2013 highlights past accomplishments and outlines the systematic approach to planning and conducting human health research through 2013.

Long-Term Goal 1

Develop mechanistic data for use in risk assessment.

Determine what methods and models are needed to identify modes or mechanisms of action that can be used for risk assessment; understand how knowledge of toxicity pathways inform the development of pharmacokinetc (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) models for risk assessment; and understand how knowledge of toxicity pathways (or mode of action) can be used to reduce uncertainty in extrapolation in risk assessment

Human Health Research Program (HHRP) mechanistic methods, models, or data were utilized to inform default assumptions in 14 peer-reviewed human health risk assessments since 2000.
Benchmark Dose Software was developed and made publicly available with an online training program to evaluate dose-response relationships for chemicals.
Research contributed to the delisting of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and retention of methanol as a hazardous pollutant
Research contributed to revised guidelines for carcinogen risk assessment
Research contributed to a document evaluating the Reference Dose/Reference Concentration process in the risk assessment process.
Research contributed to drafting of a framework for computational research at ORD.

Long-Term Goal 2:

Provide research to understand cumulative exposures from multiple environmental contaminants.

Develop and demonstrate the processes, tools, and information needed to understand when and how people are exposed to environmental contaminants; the magnitude and timing of these exposures; how exposures translate into tissue dose and relate to potential health effects; how biomarker of exposure results can be used by risk assessors to improve aggregate exposures and how exposure biomonitoring results can be used in risk management decisions.

Developed models and data to support the cumulative risk assessment of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides.
Developed probabilistic exposure model for risk assessment of chromated copper arsenate.
Developed a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to simulate absorption, storage, metabolism, and elimination of chemicals in humans. (Exposure Related Dose Estimating Model)
Developed Stochastic human exposure and dose simulation model to predict multimedia, multipathway aggregate exposures for user-specified populations.
Provided databases for risk assessors, including the Technology Transfer Network, the Air Pollutants Exposure Model, the Consolidated Human Activity Database, and the Human Exposure Database System.
Analytical methods have been provided to support environmental assessments such as the American Healthy Homes Survey.
Research contributed to updates of the Exposure Factors Handbook.
Research contributed to drafting a framework for conducting cumulative risk assessment (PDF) (120 pp, 1 MB)

Long-Term Goal 3:

Provide research to address environmental risks to susceptible subpopulations.

Develop methods, models, and data to characterize and provide adequate protection for susceptible subpopulations, including children and older adults. Determine the differential life-stage responsiveness from exposure to environmental agents; the long-term effects of developmental exposure to chemicals, the models to assess exposure and effects of subsceptible subpopulations; and the predisposing factors for asthma.

Coordinated exposure research related to the World Trade Center Disaster.
Research was used to develop Integrated Pest Management Program for intervention by local health departments and housing authorities.
Research has contributed to the development of the National Agenda for the Environment and the Aging.
Research contributed to the development of protocols for the National Children's Study.
Framework for assessing risks of environmental exposures to children provided. (Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment)
Characterized aggregate exposures of young children to common contaminants in their everyday surroundings in the Children's Total Exposure to Persistent Pesticides Study.

Long-Term Goal 4:

Provide research for assessment of risk management decisions.

Develop methods and models to evaluate the effectiveness of risk management decisions including pollution control measures and environmental education initiatives. Determine the trends in health status in the United States and develop the tools to determine the impact of regulatory decisions on exposures to environmental stressors that lead to adverse health outcomes.

Exposure research has been done to determine pesticide levels in children in border regions between the United States and Mexico.
HHRP scientists contributed significantly to the health chapter in the Agency's Report on the Environment.