ENVIRONMENTAL-PROTECTION-AGENCY RISK ASSESSMENT - PROCESS AND TOXICOLOGIC PATHOLOGY

Risk assessment of a pesticide includes the identification of hazard, dose-response, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. Toxicol ogy study reports undergo several levels of scientific and regulatory review in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Pest icide Programs. A Health Effects Division (HED) scientist reviews the reports. The resulting Data Evaluation Records are presented to severa l internal HED Peer Review committees to ensure consistency across che micals in establishing which hazard end points to use when determining the reference dose and carcinogenicity potential for use in dietary a nd nondietary risk assessments. There may also be external reviews. Th e toxicologic pathologist can impact many steps in this process. The n oncancer end points are just as important as the cancer end points whe n evaluating the hazard component of a pesticide. The toxicologic path ologist can assist in the hazard and risk characterization by being cl ear and concise, carefully defining terms and relating individual lesi ons to the animal, study, and database as a whole. The preceding will assist the HED in fulfilling EPA Administrator Carol Browner's guidanc e for risk characterizations that are transparent, clear, concise, and reasonable.