Vinyl chloride: a case study of data suppression and misrepresentation.
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its 2000 update of the toxicological effects of vinyl chloride (VC), it was concerned with two issues: the classification of VC as a carcinogen and the numerical estimate of its potency. In this commentary we describe how the U.S. EPA review of VC toxicology, which was drafted with substantial input from the chemical industry, weakened safeguards on both points. First, the assessment down-plays risks from all cancer sites other than the liver. Second, the estimate of cancer potency was reduced 10-fold from values previously used for environmental decision making, a finding that reduces the cost and extent of pollution reduction and cleanup measures. We suggest that this assessment reflects discredited scientific practices and recommend that the U.S. EPA reverse its trend toward ever-increasing collaborations with the regulated industries when generating scientific reviews and risk assessments.
Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC 20005, USA. jsass@nrdc.org
Jennifer Beth
JB
Sass
Barry
B
Castleman
David
D
Wallinga
D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D002617:Chemical Industry; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D017712:Peer Review, Research; D011640:Public Policy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency; D014752:Vinyl Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*
D002273:Carcinogens; D014752:Vinyl Chloride