Policy principles for utilizing science in decision-making on chronic health issues.
Scientific advances will continue to contribute to our understanding of latent chronic diseases related to chemical exposure. Regulatory agencies must deal with a complex matrix of emerging scientific information, a diversity of potential risk situations, and a variety of statutory prescriptions for protecting public health. Seven policy principles are proposed for facilitating integration of the latest scientific thought into the administrative decision-making process. The principles relate to distinguishing between risk assessment and risk management, analysis of all relevant information in developing a risk assessment, consideration of weight-of-the-evidence and more probable than not criterion on key assumptions, scientific peer review of assessments, scoping scientific input appropriately with the nature of a specific regulatory activity, emphasizing research which enhances the basis of risk assessment, and education and communication on risk matters. The policy principles are interdependent; collectively they need endorsement and promotion by the scientific and regulatory communities and by policy leaders in federal and state governments in the interest of establishing a framework for further improving the basis of critical decisions for protecting public health.
Hoerger
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Health and Environmental Sciences, Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan 48674.
Plaut
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JA
Stevenson
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D002908:Chronic Disease; D003657:Decision Making; D004493:Education; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D010380:Peer Review; D012106:Research; D012586:Science
D004785:Environmental Pollutants