title: Future human health research directions for the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program.
abstract: Studies conducted in the mid-1980s and early 1990s demonstrated that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals were reaching the Arctic ecosystem at unexpectedly high levels, many of which had no Arctic or Canadian sources. Epidemiological and toxicological studies in Canada and in other countries have found that these contaminants may pose a risk to human health. The objective of this paper is to provide the foundation for the discussion on future northern human health research under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in Canada. This short discussion of human health priorities will help guide a path forward for future northern human health research in Canada to address on-going and new health concerns related to contaminants exposure in the Canadian Arctic.
authors.affiliation: Chemicals Surveillance Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Shawn G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: Meredith S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Curren
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adlard
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Provost
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leech
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tikhonov
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feeley
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Russel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shearer
mesh_terms: D001110:Arctic Regions; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D002170:Canada; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020387:Food Chain; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D004930:Inuit; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009930:Organic Chemicals
keywords: Arctic; Northern Contaminants Program; POPs; human health; metals