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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an upcoming virtual public meeting on formaldehyde studies. This is a vital opportunity for those interested in learning more about the latest research on formaldehyde and its potential health risks. The meeting is set to take place from May 16-18, 2023, from 1:00 – 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

Formaldehyde Documents to Be Reviewed and Discussed

During the meeting, the Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) will consult on the scientific and ethical conduct of two human health studies on formaldehyde, as well as a draft weight of evidence document on the use of human studies for evaluating formaldehyde’s acute respiratory effects. This consultation is required for all studies that involve intentional exposure of human subjects to a substance or pesticide under the EPA’s Human Studies Rule.

The studies being reviewed by the HSRB will also be considered as part of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) risk assessment for formaldehyde’s use as a pesticide and as part of the risk evaluation of formaldehyde under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

You can also find additional information about the materials that will be discussed at the meeting, including the relevant studies, EPA’s science and ethics reviews of these studies, and the weight of evidence document that HSRB will consider.

What Enterprises Should Notice

It\’s important to note that the EPA’s IRIS Program released a draft health assessment on formaldehyde for review and comment in April 2022. The two controlled human exposure studies that will be presented to the HSRB at the upcoming meeting in May were used in the IRIS assessment to inform conclusions on how inhaled formaldehyde can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.

Reprinted from: U.S. EPA