ASSESSING HEALTH RISKS OF SYNTHETIC VITREOUS FIBERS - AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH

This paper reviews a tiered approach to acquiring information from mul tiple experimental systems to understand and assess the potential huma n health risks of exposure to airborne synthetic fibers. The approach is grounded in the now widely accepted research-risk assessment-risk m anagement paradigm. it involves the acquisition of information that wi ll provide mechanistic linkages within the exposure-dose-response para digm. It advocates the use of the inhalation route of exposure for dev eloping relevant information for assessing human health risks and call s attention to serious problems encountered using nonphysiologic route s of administration to assess human health risks. (C) 1994 Academic Pr ess, Inc.