[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 210 (Friday, October 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58409-58410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29075]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH;
National Toxicology Program
Notice of workshop on ``Scientific Issues Relevant to Assessment of
Health Effects from Exposure to Methylmercury'', November 18-20, 1998,
at the Brownestone Hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Background
At the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology
an interagency committee has organized the subject workshop to discuss
and evaluate the major epidemiological studies associating
methylmercury exposure with an array of developmental measures in
children. The organizing committee is chaired by the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, with
representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Agency
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Food and Drug
Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Office of Science
and Technology Policy, and the Office of Management and Budget.
The major studies being considered at the workshop are those which
have examined populations in Iraq and the Seychelles, the Faeore
Islands, and the Amazon, along with the most relevant animal studies
for estimating human risks. Workshop participants will try to reach
consensus on what we can conclude and what the uncertainties are for
each of the studies alone and for the studies taken together. The
product of the workshop should be policy relevant and facilitate
agreement on risk assessment issues.
Workshop Agenda
Scientists involved in the major studies will present and discuss
their
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studies. To help structure the workshop the following questions have
been developed by the organizing committee and will be discussed with
respect to each study:
1. For each study, what are the relative exposures to organic or
inorganic mercury?
2. What are the sources of exposure? Is the consumption of fish,
shellfish and marine mammals the dominant source? Are dental amalgams,
occupational exposures or other sources significant confounders?
3. What is the specificity and sensitivity of health endpoints,
e.g., behavioral, neurological, and developmental? What are the most
specific and sensitive tests of these endpoints? How are these tests
impacted by cultural or behavioral practices?
4. Are the developmental tests used comparable across different
studies? Across species?
5. What are the confounders that affect health endpoints positively
(e.g., selenium, omega-3 fatty acids) and negatively (e.g., PCBs;
alcohol use; health conditions with neurological effects, such as
diabetes)? Do they influence the interpretation of the study.
6. What is the variability within and across populations studied in
mercury exposure and host factors (e.g., age, gender, nutritional
status and practices, and genetic predisposition)?
7. For each epidemiological study of interest, which features of
its statistical design, research protocol or execution in the field are
particularly strong or weak? To what extent do these strengths and
weaknesses affect the validity and reliability of scientific inferences
based on these studies?
8. What are the contributions of animal or experimental studies
toward interpretation of the human studies?
Organized panels will assess the presentations with respect to the
questions above. A panel on exposure will assess and develop a report
on questions 1 & 2; a neurobehavioral panel will assess and develop a
report on questions 3 & 4; a panel on confounders and variables will
address 5 & 6; and a panel on design/statistics will assess and report
on question 7; question 8 will be addressed by the experimental panel.
Invited workshop participants will include scientists involved in
the major studies, epidemiologists, pediatric neuropsychiatrists,
developmental biologists, toxicologists, biomathematicians,
biomonitoring specialists and scientists who are skilled at integrating
diverse data sets, as well as representatives from Federal and State
agencies who are involved in assessing risks from methylmercury
exposure.
A public comment session will provide the opportunity for
additional views and comments. Oral presentations will be limited to 5
minutes in length to allow for a maximum number of presentations.
Written statements should supplement and may expand on the oral
presentation. Written comments may also be provided and should be
submitted to the NTP Liaison & Scientific Review Office, NIEHS, P.O.
Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 and must be received by
November 9, 1998, to be transmitted to the workgroups prior to the
workshop.
The Preliminary Schedule Follows
Wednesday, November 18, 1998
8:30 am-6:00 pm Presentation and Discussion of Each Epidemiology Study
and a Presentation and Discussion of the major animal or experimental
studies
Thursday, November 19, 1998
8:30 am-Noon Moderators will lead panel discussions addressing each of
the 8 questions in the general session
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Public Comment Session
2:00 pm-6:00 pm Panels develop recommendations and conclusions in
separate breakout groups
Friday, November 20, 1998
8:30 am-Noon Each panel will make a summary presentation on their
assessment of the assigned questions
Noon Overview and Summary
1:00 pm Adjourn
Public Participation Encouraged
The general sessions and the breakout groups are open to the public
and limited only by the space available. A public comment session is
scheduled as described above. Oral and/or written comments are
requested as discussed above.
Registration
To register, please provide the following information: to the
Workshop on ``Scientific Issues Relevant to Assessment of Health
Effects from Exposure to Methylmercury''.
``Scientific Issues Relevant to Assessment of Health Effects from
Exposure to Methylmercury''
(Open to the public, limited only by space available)
Brownestone Hotel, Raleigh, NC, November 18-20, 1998
(Please type or print clearly)
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Last Name First Name Middle Initial
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Institution Department
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Address City State Zip Code
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Office Phone FAX Number Email Address
Please mail or fax your registration, no later than November 6,
1998 to:
NTP Liaison & Scientific Review Office, NTP/NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MD:
A3-01, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, fax: (919) 541-0295
I am interested in observing the following break-out group
discussion: ``Breakout'' Panel Sessions: (Please mark first and second
choices)
1. Exposure Panel------------------------------------------------------
2. Neurobehavioral Endpoints Panel-------------------------------------
3. Confounders & Variables Panel---------------------------------------
4. Design/Statistics Panel---------------------------------------------
5. Experimental Panel--------------------------------------------------
Public Comment Session:
I would like to make an oral presentation during the Public Comment
Session____________
(limit to 5 minute oral presentation, written statements should
supplement and may expand on the oral presentation)
A registration fee of $50.00 (US) is requested. Credit cards cannot
be accepted. Personal checks, cashier checks or money orders made
payable to: Methylmercury Workshop should be included with your
registration. For those faxing registration, please indicate the date
the registration fee is being fowarded by mail.
Accomodations
Hotel reservations can be made directly with the Brownestone Hotel
(919) 828-0811. A block of rooms is being held through October 30,
1998. Identify yourself as attending the NIEHS Methylmercury Workshop.
Dated: October 21, 1998.
Samuel H. Wilson, M.D.,
Deputy Director, NIEHS
[FR Doc. 98-29075 Filed 10-29-98; 8:45 am]
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