title: Meeting the common needs of a more effective and efficient testing and assessment paradigm for chemical risk management.
abstract: Significant advances have been made in human health and ecological risk assessment over the last decade. Substantial challenges, however, remain in providing credible scientific information in a timely and efficient manner to support chemical risk assessment and management decisions. A major challenge confronting risk managers is the need for critical information to address risk uncertainties in large chemical inventories such as high- and medium-production-volume industrial chemicals or pesticide inert ingredients. From a strategic and tactical viewpoint, an integrated approach that relies on all existing knowledge and uses a range of methods, including those from emerging and novel technologies, is needed to advance progressive and focused testing strategies, as well as to advance the utility and predictability of the risk assessment by providing more relevant information. A hypothesis-based approach that draws on all relevant information is consistent with the vision articulated in the 2007 report by the National Research Council, Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy. This article describes the current practices in evaluating chemical risks and ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of risk assessment and risk management decisions within the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
authors.affiliation: Office of Pesticides, Prevention and Toxic Substances, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA. dellarco.vicki@epamail.epa.gov
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dellarco
authors.forename: Tala
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sayre
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bradbury
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods*; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D035501:Uncertainty; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants