[CPEO-BIF] NAS appoints TCE toxicity committee

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

[My first version of this message to this list was lost in cyberspace. 
If it shows up, I apologize for the extra copy. - LS]

The National Academy of Sciences has officially announced its review of 
TCE toxicity. The following is taken from its web site 
(http://www4.nas.edu/webcr.nsf/5c50571a75df494485256a95007a091e/1dc1b9eb32716bf685256f7f00622ec2?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,TCE). 
If the URL doesn't work, go to http://www.nas.edu, click on current 
projects, and search for TCE.

To review the provisional committee membership, go to 
http://www4.nas.edu/webcr.nsf/CommitteeDisplay/BEST-K-03-06-A?OpenDocument
or click on the link from the project page. The Academy is taking 
feedback on the appointments through January 24, 2005. Given the 
controversy over the make-up of the Perchlorate committee, which is 
scheduled to release its findings January 11, I suggest that people with 
knowledge of potential conflicts of interest, bias, or overall lack of 
balance make their concerns known now to the Academy.

Please excuse the duplicate postings.

Lenny Siegel

***

Project Title:  Assessing the Human Health Risks of Trichloroethylene : 
Key Scientific Issues

Date Posted: <Posted: 12/21/2004>
-
Project Identification Number: BEST-K-03-06-A

Major Unit:
Division on Earth and Life Studies


Sub Unit:
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology


Project Scope:
A committee of the NRC will identify and assess the key scientific 
issues relevant to analyzing the human health risks of trichloroethylene 
(TCE). In performing its task, the committee will give consideration to 
pertinent toxicological, epidemiological, population susceptibility, and 
other available information, including relevant published scientific 
literature; EPA's 2001 draft health risk assessment of 
trichloroethylene; scientific and technical comments received by EPA 
from public and private sources; and additional relevant information to 
be provided by the sponsoring agencies. The committee will hold one or 
more information-gathering sessions that are open to the public to gain 
additional insights on the issues from federal agencies, concerned 
parties, and other scientists.

The committee will highlight issues critical to the development of an 
objective, realistic, and scientifically-balanced TCE health risk 
assessment. The committee will focus on the issues of hazard 
characterization/mode of action for TCE toxicity; possible approaches to 
synthesize epidemiological data in informing the hazard characterization 
of TCE; differential susceptibility in different subpopulations or 
life-stages; the evidence for effects from TCE exposures alone compared 
with that for effects from mixtures of chemicals that include TCE; 
physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling; dose-response 
assessment; and quantitative assessment of both cancer and non-cancer 
risks. Special attention will be given to the availability of 
appropriate data and methods to implement the committee's advice, as 
well as the distinction between data analysis and data generation. The 
committee will distinguish between issues that can be addressed through 
short-term analyses and issues that are more appropriately addressed 
through medium- or long-term research projects.

The committee will not develop its own risk assessment, nor will it 
address any risk management issues.

Sponsors: Department of Defense, Department of Energy, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration

A final report will be issued at the end of the project in approximately 
15 months.
Project Duration: 15 months


--
Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
http://www.cpeo.org

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