National Toxicology Program

September 22-24 1999: Held at the Doubletree Hotel, Rockville, MD

Topic: The Role of Human Exposure Assessment in the Prevention of Environmental Disease

Knowledge of human exposures to agents of potential public health concern is critical for a successful and scientifically sound approach to the evaluation of human health risks resulting from environmental exposures. To address this topic, the NIEHS organized a two and one-half day workshop sponsored by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology Program, National Institutes of Health/Office of Rare Diseases, National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Environmental Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research and Development, and the American Industrial Health Council. The Workshop attracted more than 350 registrants from government, academia, industry, and labor and community groups.

The goals of the Workshop were to describe current opportunities and challenges in exposure assessment research, provide usable information on disease-specific chemical exposures that will enhance integration of exposure assessment with epidemiology and toxicology studies, and highlight approaches for further research and the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies. Plenary session speakers addressed such issues as exposure analysis methodology, exposure-disease relationships, regulatory and legislative issues, gene-environment interactions, disease prevention and intervention, and some current federal initiatives related to exposure assessment. Breakout sessions were based around five broad topics: Aggregate and Cumulative Exposure and Risk Assessment, Disproportionate Exposures and Disease Impact, Assessing Environmental Influence on ChildrenÕs Health, Integrating Exposure, Dose, Response, and Susceptibility, and Exposure Assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology.

There was a sustained level of excitement and enthusiasm throughout the duration of the Workshop. Many individuals expressed thoughts that such an effort was overdue and that a coordinated interagency effort in exposure assessment with participation from all stakeholders is needed. Some of the general themes and recommendations that resulted from the presentation and discussions include:

• Assessing exposure is complex: sources, pathways, timing, mixed and cumulative exposures must be considered
• There is a need for bridging disciplines (toxicology, epidemiology, genetics, and exposure analysis) and agency missions to address gaps in exposure assessment
• More resources are needed to develop new and better tools for assessing exposure
• Biomarkers need to continue to be developed and validated to relate to other measurement and monitoring methods
• There is a need to more closely link exposure assessment with disease research (etiology and prevention)
• Exposure assessment efforts should be in line with public health goals and community concerns
• An understanding of social and economic factors that result in increased exposures in the population is necessary

The product of this workshop will be a comprehensive report including a description of knowledge gaps and research needs, and specific recommendations and opportunities for addressing those needs. This research agenda will be designed to increase the available data characterizing human exposures as well as the application of that exposure information in establishing exposure-disease relationships, estimating risk, and designing effective disease prevention measures.

For the Workshop Program and Reports (when available) contact:

Dr. Scott Masten
Environmental Toxicology Program (B3-10)
NIEHS
P.O. Box 12233
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Tel: (919) 541-5710 Fax: (919) 541-4632
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