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Use of Adverse Outcome Pathways to Inform Decisions on Chemical Innovation, Regulation & Stewardship
Citation:
Hill, T., P. Brown, K. Coady, M. Embry, T. Hutchinson, E. Lienala, L. Maslankiewicz, AND T. Steeger. Use of Adverse Outcome Pathways to Inform Decisions on Chemical Innovation, Regulation & Stewardship. SETAC Europe 28th Annual Meeting, Rome, ROME, ITALY, May 13 - 17, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Dr. Hill was a selected participant in the 2017 SETAC Pellston WorkshopTM titled “Advancing the Adverse Outcome Pathway Concept – An International Horizon Scanning Approach.” The SETAC Pellston Workshops are used to examine topics of importance with the potential for major global scientific impact. As part of his participation, Dr. Hill will be presenting a portion of the findings from Pellston at the 2018 SETAC Europe meeting from May 13-17 in Rome. The aim of the 2017 workshop was to address key questions, challenges, and limitations in using the Adverse Outcome (AOP) framework in research and regulatory decision-making. This topic is key concept of the US EPA Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) National Research Program 17.01 AOPDD and the focus of Dr. Hill’s current research at EPA under Dr. Rory Conolly. The SETAC Europe 2018 Annual Meeting in Rome will provide a venue for scientists from academia, business/industry and government will present, debate and disseminate the most recent scientific knowledge, developments and applications for reducing and regulating the use of chemicals, remediating soil, air and water and proposing more sustainable chemicals for responsible and innovative research. This speaking opportunity to present these findings and network within this audience of peers will enhance Dr. Hill’s ability to conduct his assigned projects, and provide professional development and career development commensurate with the goals and objectives as outlined in his ORISE project description. In addition to dissemination of scientific findings at the international level, any networking and data sharing connections initiated by Dr. Hill will enhance the future collaborative potential and research opportunities for the AOPDD project, the CSS program, and other scientific or regulatory activities within the US EPA.
Description:
An invited group of scientists participated in a SETAC Pellston WorkshopTM, “Advancing the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Concept – An International Horizon Scanning Approach,” in April 2017. The workshop addressed key challenges or limitations of AOP constructs as tools for informing research and regulatory decisions that were identified by responses to a global Horizon Scanning survey. This presentation will summarize the findings of Pellston Workgroup 3, which was tasked with the explication of practical considerations for this use of AOP constructs in regulatory decision making. The use of AOPs and related concepts have increased in scientific and regulatory sectors over the past decade, coinciding with pressures to find innovative solutions to evaluate chemical safety in a more efficient and effective manner that better directs resource utilization. This workgroup focused on how AOPs can be a useful tool for chemical decision makers in the government and private sector. At the various points where chemical decision making is employed across the “life” of a chemical – from research and development within the commercial sector, government registration and regulation, through to post-marketing use/stewardship – AOPs can be used as an organizing principle. Pragmatic evidence is provided for how AOPs can be and are currently being used in chemical decision-making processes. Considerations for evaluating the suitability of AOP for decision makers are discussed, recognizing that the acceptable level of uncertainty varies based upon the nature of the decision and the context in which it is being applied. The presentation provides multiple examples of AOP use and practical considerations for evaluating whether use of AOPs is fit-for-purpose in different circumstances. This abstract does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the U.S. EPA.