The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has recently commended, through peer review, a handbook on human health assessments by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
NASEM, a collaborative organization that advises on the “pressing challenges” of the nation and world, was tasked with conducting an external peer review of the EPA’s ‘Office of Research and Development (ORD) Staff Handbook for Developing Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessments,’ or the IRIS Handbook, an EPA press release said.
“EPA appreciates the NASEM’s comprehensive and robust review of the IRIS Handbook,” Wayne Cascio, acting principal deputy assistant administrator in EPA’s Office of Research and Development, said in the release. “NASEM’s acknowledgement of the significant progress made by the IRIS Program to advance the science of systematic review marks an important milestone for the Agency, and EPA will continue to strengthen its scientific assessments following recommendations provided in the report.”
The IRIS program develops human health assessments “on hazard identification and dose-response analyses for chemicals in the environment,” the release said. The IRIS Handbook guides scientists performing IRIS assessments so that there is consistency.
In NASEM’s approval of the IRIS Handbook, it was noted that the IRIS Program has an impressive progression “in developing and integrating systematic review methods.”
“The IRIS process for developing assessments can serve as a model for other parts of EPA that are implementing systematic review methods,” the press release said. “Key recommendations provided by the peer review panel were generally focused on improving clarity in the IRIS Handbook.”
