Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease Ninth Annual Report to Congress 1986 TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE ------- Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease Ninth Annual Report to Congress 1986 Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Public Health Service National Cancer Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control Food and Drug Administration Department of Energy Consumer Product Safety Commission Occupational Safety and Health Administration Department of Agriculture Veterans Administration Department of Defense Prepared by the Task Force Working Group Scott R. Baker, Chairperson ------- Copies of this document may be obtained free of charge through requests to: Technical Resources, Inc. 3202 Monroe Street Rockville, Maryland 20852 (301) 231-5250 When this supply is exhausted, the document can be purchased from: National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 ------- TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE JAN 25 1988 Please address your reply to: Lee M. Thomas Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20460 Honorable James C. Wright, Jr. Speaker of the House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Mr. Speaker: As Chairman of the Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease, I am pleased to submit the Ninth Annual Report to Congress in accordance with Public Law 95- 95, Section 402(b)(5). The Task Force sponsors workshops and promotes cooperation among its 15 member agencies in an effort to identify risks and consolidate scientific research recommendations, with the goal of reducing dangers posed to human health by environmental pollutants. During 1986, the Task Force examined Federal risk communication activities, conducted a workshop for the academic- based occupational medicine physicians and completed a 5-year plan of activities based on analysis of critical issues. This report presents three recommendations based on the conclusions of participants in Task Force activities. The first two recommendations emphasize the need for education and training of health professionals in regard to hazards that may exist in certain environmental and occupational settings, and the need for surveillance and collaboration among physicians when identifying and treating patients who have been exposed to environmental hazards. The third recommendation relates to enhancing the awareness of primary care physicians about possible exposures of populations to environmental health issues. Primary health care providers in the community could be important sources of information about potential health effects of exposure to environmental pollutants. The workshops and activities of the Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease provide guidance and direction to the scientific and regulatory community on the complex relationship between environmental pollution and human disease. I believe that the coordination and cooperation of the Task Force agencies continue to result in scientific and educational advances and in more open communication with health professionals and the general public. Environmental Protection Agency • National Cancer Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences * National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control • Food and Drug Administration Department of Energy • Consumer Product Safety Commission Occupational Safety and Health Administration • Department of Agriculture Department of Defense • Veterans Administration Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Sincerely, Lee M. Thomas Administrator ------- TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE JAN 25 1968 Please address your reply lo: Lee M. Thomas Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20460 Honorable George C. Bush President of the Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Mr. President: As Chairman of the Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease, I am pleased to submit the Ninth Annual Report to Congress in accordance with Public Law 95- 95, Section 402(b)(5). The Task Force sponsors workshops and promotes cooperation among its 15 member agencies in an effort to identify risks and consolidate scientific research recommendations, with the goal of reducing dangers posed to human health by environmental pollutants. During 1986, the Task Force examined Federal risk communication activities, conducted a workshop for the academic- based occupational medicine physicians and completed a 5-year plan of activities based on analysis of critical issues. This report presents three recommendations based on the conclusions of participants in Task Force activities. The first two recommendations emphasize the need for education and training of health professionals in regard to hazards that may exist in certain environmental and occupational settings, and the need for surveillance and collaboration among physicians when identifying and treating patients who have been exposed to environmental hazards. The third recommendation relates to enhancing the awareness of primary care physicians about possible exposures of populations to environmental health issues. Primary health care providers in the community could be important sources of information about potential health effects of exposure to environmental pollutants. The workshops and activities of the Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease provide guidance and direction to the scientific and regulatory community on the complex relationship between environmental pollution and human disease. I believe that the coordination and cooperation of the Task Force agencies continue to result in scientific and educational advances and in more open communication with health professionals and the general public. Sincerely, Lee M. Thomas Administrator Environmental Protection Agency • National Cancer Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences • National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control • Food and Drug Administration Department of Energy • Consumer Product Safety Commission Occupational Safety and Health Administration • Department of Agriculture Department of Defense • Veterans Administration Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ------- PREFACE The Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease is an interagency group established by Congress to promote cooperation and coordination and recommend research to determine and quantify the relationship between environmental factors and hu- man disease. Its efforts are directed toward reducing or preventing environmentally related diseases, in particular, cancer and heart and lung disease. As a result of Task Force consideration and the member Agencies' approval, recommendations have evolved from the needs identified by scientists at Task Force-sponsored workshops. Section 402 of Public Law 95-95, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, designated the initial members of the Task Force as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPAJ and, from the Public Health Service (PHS) of the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sci- ences (NIEHS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH-Centers for Disease Control). Nine other Govern- ment organizations have joined the Task Force by invitation: three PHS Agencies, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), oth- er components from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); the Department of Energy (DOE) in 1983; the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1984; the Veterans Admin- istration in 1985; and the Occupational Safety and Health Administra- tion (OSHA) of the Department of Labor in 1986. The Department of Defense (DoD) is an observer to the Task Force. To meet its reporting requirements to Congress, this report de- scribes the accomplishments of the Task Force during its ninth year, iii ------- 1986. Chapter 1 introduces the Task Force and its various subgroups. Chapter 2 describes the substantive activities of the Task Force dur- ing its ninth year, and Chapter 3 outlines planned activities for the tenth year. Recommendations are contained in Chapter 4. iv ------- CONTENTS EXECUTIVE Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Page SUMMARY vii INTRODUCTION 1 ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKING GROUP IN 1986 5 Long-Term Planning 5 Health Professional Education 6 Public Education and Communication 9 PLANNED ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKING GROUP IN 1987 11 Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure 11 Health Professional Education 12 Public Education and Communication 13 Environmental Dictionary 13 Cost-Effectiveness Methodologies in Research Planning 14 RECOMMENDATIONS 15 Health Professional Education 15 SECTION 402 OF PUBLIC LAW 95-95 21 MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE, WORKING GROUP, AND PROJECT GROUPS 25 SELECTED PUBLICATIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE 35 v ------- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Task Force reports yearly on its activities to Congress. Dur- ing its ninth year, the Task Force's activities were focused in the fol- lowing areas: • Long-term planning • Health professional education • Public education and communication. Based on the findings and conclusions developed by scientists, physicians, and educators participating in meetings sponsored by the Task Force, the following recommendations for research are offered to the Congress for its consideration: 1. Academic medical centers should be encouraged to teach their medical students to take an occupational and environmental his- tory from their patients on a routine basis. 2. For specific exposures, all primary care physicians who see pa- tients presenting with occupational and environmental exposures should be encouraged to work collaboratively to gather in-depth data on exposure and adverse sequelae, including derivation of exposure-dose relationships. 3. State and local health entities should be urged to encourage pri- mary care physicians to be knowledgeable about which popula- tions in specific geographic areas may be exposed to environmental hazards and may need information on potential risks to their health. vii ------- The Interagency Education Program Liaison Group published the Report of the Special Grand Rounds: Women at Work. Ad hoc editor- ial committees prepared the reports of the workshops on airborne pol- lutants and respiratory cancer (published in Environmental Health Perspectives, volume 70, 1986) and environmental toxicity and the ag- ing processes (published by Alan R. Liss, 1987). The Long-Range Planning Committee developed a 5-year plan of activities that was adopted by the Working Group. Activities are planned in the areas of public education and communication, health professional education, environmental epidemiology, and several spe- cific scientific issues. Information gathering and needs assessment were begun for those activities slated for the first year of the plan. The Interagency Education Program Liaison Group sponsored a workshop, The Community as Patient, to focus on the role of aca- demic-based occupational medicine physicians in reducing risks asso- ciated with hazardous substances in the community. The meeting in- cluded presentation of case studies and development of recommenda- tions for research and education. The Project Group on Public Education and Communication planned and held a workshop to examine Federal risk communication activities. Participants included Government policymakers, program administrators, and public health professionals from Federal, state, and local government, as well as experts in risk communication from academia, citizens' and environmental groups, media, business, and industry. In 1987, the Task Force will sponsor the following activities. A workshop on the health effects of pesticide exposure will focus on nonoccupational exposure and will consider the relationship between pesticide exposure and observed health effects. The Interagency Education Liaison Group will work with the Na- tional Library of Medicine to disseminate information on the TOXNET data base to primary care physicians. A brochure specifi- cally tailored to physicians' information needs will be developed, and an exhibit will be designed to demonstrate the use of TOXNET at meetings of selected physician groups. viii ------- The Interagency Education Program Liaison Group also is planning a meeting, in cooperation with NHLBI, to promote commu- nication linkages between pulmonary medicine grantees and practi- tioners of family medicine. Discussions will include means to prevent or reduce the incidence of environmentally or occupationally related asthma. The Project Group on Public Education and Communication will complete its activities related to the Workshop on the Role of Govern- ment in Health Risk Communication. The report of that Workshop and an inventory of Federal risk communication programs will be prepared for publication. The Group will initiate planning of its next activity, a workshop on evaluation of health risk communication programs. Information gathered on programs having evaluations and on evaluation methodologies will be used to develop generic evalua- tion criteria. The Working Group will conduct a feasibility study to determine the need for an environmental dictionary. Such a reference document would define selected environmental terms (chemicals, diseases, and concepts) and include lists of referral organizations and experts. The Working Group will also initiate an effort to ascertain the extent to which cost-effectiveness is considered in planning health re- search programs. Depending on the preliminary information collected from Task Force member Agencies, the Working Group may proceed with a bibliographic compilation of methodologies and a workshop effort. ix ------- Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION The Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease was established by Congress in the Clean Air Act Amend- ments of 1977 (P.L. 95-95)* to address the environmental disease problem in a broad and coordinated fashion. Congress chose the mechanism of an interagency task force to ensure continued commu- nication between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the major regulatory Agency dealing with health and environmental hazards; Agencies conducting health research, particularly the Public Health Service (PHS) Agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); and other Agencies as appropriate. The Task Force is mandated to determine and quantify the relationship between environmental pollution and human disease, in particular, cancer and heart and lung disease, and to recommend research, strategies, and other measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of these diseases and prevent or reduce their incidence. The legislation stipulated that the EPA Administrator or a person designated by the Administrator chair the Task Force and also named the other original members from PHS as the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the Na- tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH-Centers for Disease Control), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The law also specified the involvement of other Agencies with interests in environmental health and, according- ly, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), other compo- nents of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Pood and Drug *See Appendix A for full text of Section 402 (P.L. 95-95). 1 ------- Administration (FDA), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Consum- er Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Veterans Administration (VA) have become mem- bers. The Department of Defense (DoD) is an observer to the Task Force. The addition of these other Agencies and Departments, by vote of the Task Force, has increased the opportunities to promote and formalize interaction and cooperation. The Task Force organization in 1986, shown in Figure 1, included a Plenary, a Working Group, three standing committees, and various ad hoc subgroups. The Plenary consists of Agency heads and repre- sentatives of Departmental Secretaries, who in turn designate the Working Group representatives. The Working Group meets approxi- mately every 12 weeks to discuss environmentally related health problems of national significance that are common to member Agencies. To address these problems, the Working Group identifies research needs through workshops, symposia, project groups, subcommittees, and various ad hoc committees. The members of the Plenary, Working Group, and subgroups are listed in Appendix B. TASK FORGE ON ENVIRONMENTAL GANGER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE ZAD HOC GROUPS / IN 1686 / WORKING GROUP PLENARY PROJECT GROUP ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION INTERAGENCY EDUCATION PROGRAM LIAISON GROUP PROJECT GROUP ON QUALITY ASSURANCE IN ANALYTICAL METHODOLOGY Figure 1. Task Force Organization (1986) 2 ------- The Task Force workshops bring together experts in specific sub- ject areas to identify research needs. The workshop reports are pub- lished in the peer-reviewed literature and are available to the entire scientific community. The research needs identified by the workshops are submitted to the Working Group, which then conveys the research needs to the Plenary members for their consideration. Some of the re- search needs are considered by member Agencies in their research planning, and some of these may ultimately become recommendations of the Task Force to Congress. The Task Force serves to coordinate research and stimulate coop- eration among Federal Agencies and scientific communities con- cerned with environmental health. Its members have the opportunity to integrate regulatory and research perspectives on the kinds of sci- entific information needed to provide an improved basis for protec- tion of human health and the environment. The Task Force provides an open, freely accessible forum for the exchange of ideas and infor- mation, which benefits all of its members. The Task Force is mandated to report to Congress yearly on its activities. During its ninth year (1980), the Task Force's activities were focused in the following areas: • Long-term planning • Health professional education • Public education and communication. These activities, described in Chapter 2, were directed by subcommittees of both the Task Force and scientific workshops, involving scientists from academia, research institutions, industry, and Government. Chapter 3 describes activities planned for 1987 in the areas of health effects of pesticide exposure, health professional education, public education and communication, environmental epidemiology, and cost- effectiveness methodologies in research planning. The recommenda- tions to Congress that originated from the year's Task Force activities are presented in Chapter 4. 3 ------- Chapter 2 ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKING GROUP IN 1086 The Task Force Working Group met approximately every 12 weeks to exchange information, discuss environmental health issues of com- mon interest, and initiate and direct activities of its subcommittees. The Working Group completed its first long-term planning effort and approved a 5-year plan, recognizing the need for flexibility in im- plementing the plan. Project groups and subcommittees established by the Working Group directed other activities. The Interagency Educa- tion Program Liaison Group (IEPLG) completed and published the Report of the Special Grand Rounds: Women at Work. The IEPLG also continued to focus on the role of the health professional in environmental health issues. The Project Group on Public Education and Communication initiated planning for a major workshop on health risk communication. Ad hoc editorial committees prepared the reports of the workshops on airborne pollutants and respiratory can- cer and environmental toxicity and the aging processes. (See Appen- dix C for availability.) Long-Term Planning The framework for the planning process was based on the Task Force goals to (1) develop comprehensive risk reduction/prevention strategies for selected critical issues and (2) identify methodologies for enhancing coordination among Agencies and the societal sectors served by these Agencies. The Working Group identified broad areas of environmental concern, and the planning subcommittee focused on more specific issues within these areas. The subcommittee rated each 5 ------- issue according to a set of evaluation criteria, and experts were asked to comment on the need and timeliness of the activities proposed to address the issues. Issue papers were prepared that described for each activity its objectives, history or background, anticipated accomplish- ments, and relationship to other activities. The 5-year plan of activities that was adopted by the Working Group is shown in Table 1. During 1986, information gathering and needs assessment activities were begun for the FY87 activities. In addition to the activities listed in the plan, another activity—a workshop on the health effects of pesticide exposure—was suggested as a potential high-priority effort. After discussion with staff in the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, USDA, NCHS, NIOSH, and FDA, the Working Group agreed to incorporate this activity into the long-term plan. The plan will be evaluated and revised each year to ensure rele- vance and to shaipen the focus on specific gaps in scientific knowledge. In 1987 the subcommittee will recommend activities for FY92 to the Working Group. Health Professional Education The Community as Patient Workshop, a product of the Task Force's Interagency Education Program Liaison Group, focused on the role of academic-based occupational medicine physicians in re- ducing risks associated with hazardous substances in the community. The theme of the Workshop was the diagnosis and treatment of the health needs of the community. The Workshop's objective, to define the community outreach role of the academic occupational medicine physician, was accomplished through a needs assessment process. Numerous health professionals, Federal Agencies, and professional organizations were contacted to develop an inventory of recommendations. The Workshop partici- pants ranked these recommendations in terms of their importance to the community outreach role of the occupational medicine physician. The highest ranked recommendations, categorized as either research or education, served as the basis for the Workshop discussions. The full report of the Workshop (see Appendix C for availability) ad- dresses strategies for implementation of the recommendations. 6 ------- Tbble 1 Long-Range Plan of Activities Adopted in 1986 (Tentative) FY87 • Public Education and Communication Workshop • Indoor Air Pollution Workshop • Education of Health Professionals: Conference on Occupational and Environmental Asthma • Education of Health Professionals: Dissemination of Information on TOXNET • Survey of Cost'Effectiveness Methodologies • Workshop on the Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure FY88 • Public Education and Communication: Workshop on Evaluation and Planning of Health and Environmental Communication Programs • Education of Health Professionals: Conference for Office-Based Nonacademic Physicians • Environmental Epidemiology: Workshop on High-Risk Occupational Exposures • Education of Health Professionals: Conference on Linkage of Professionals and Science Writers • Workshop on Cost-Effectiveness Methodologies (continued) • Data Compilation: Environmental Epidemiology Dictionary • Workshop on the Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure [continued) FY80 • Education of Health Professionals: Conference on Linkage of Professionals and Science Writers (continued) • Environmental Epidemiology: Workshop on Nonoccupational Exposures • Workshop on Cost-Effectiveness Methodologies (continued) • Data Compilation: Environmental Epidemiology Dictionary (continued) FYflO • Environmental Epidemiology: Workshop on Measurement or Workshop on Standardized Questionnaire Development • Workshop on Susceptible Populations • Data Compilation: Environmental Epidemiology Dictionary (continued) • Data Compilation: Directory of Data Bases FY94 • Environmental Epidemiology: Workshop on Measurement or Workshop on Standardized Questionnaire Development (continued) • Data Compilation: Directory of Data Bases (continued) 7 ------- The Workshop also included the presentation of case studies. One described the response of Seattle, Washington, to an environmental emergency involving the identification of polynuclear aromatic hydro- carbon contamination in a popular park that was formerly the site of a coal gasification plant. Benzo(a)pyrene, a carcinogen, was found in soil samples at high concentrations, which resulted in the temporary closing of the park. The case study set a framework for addressing numerous issues that arise when communities are faced with real or perceived environmental/occupational hazards. These issues include: • Identification of the hazard • Assessment of the health consequences of the hazard • Communication of information about such hazards to the public • Definition of the role of individuals and Agencies in the evaluation • Evaluation of the effectiveness of actions taken in response to the hazard. The other case study described a community education outreach effort in New Jersey. The Environmental and Occupational Health In- formation Program, based at Rutgers University, provides information to the public and health professionals so that decisions related to environmental problems can be made more effectively. A unique fea- ture of the program is an advisory committee composed of repre- sentatives from industry, labor, and local, state, and Federal government. The program includes an Information Resource Center, accessible through a toll-free number, to provide information on a proactive ba- sis and make referrals to other organizations. Other components of the program provide information to workers, local government and voluntary groups, schools, small industries, and physicians. The IEPLG will publish the report of this Workshop, to include the case study presentations, discussion highlights, and recommenda- tions, in 1987. 8 ------- Public Education and Communication In keeping with the Task Force emphasis on education as a means of reducing or preventing disease, the Project Group on Public Education and Communication focuses on improving communication of information about environmental factors and human disease to the general public. As Federal organizations institutionalize risk assess- ment and risk management into their deliberative processes, commu- nication of health risk assessment concepts to the public becomes in- creasingly important. The Project Group planned a workshop, scheduled for January 1987, to explore existing Federal risk communication activities, iden- tify gaps in research and practice that need to be addressed, and de- velop effective strategies for interprogram and inter-Agency coopera- tion in risk communication activities. The participants included Gov- ernment policymakers, program administrators, and public health pro- fessionals from Federal, state, and local governments, as well as ex- perts in risk communication from the academic community, citizens' and environmental groups, media, business, and industry. In preparation for the Workshop, the Project Group compiled an inventory of Federal Agency programs in risk communication. The in- ventory, which includes a directory of key Federal Agency offices that are involved in risk communication, will be published as a Work- shop product. The Workshop planning committee developed an agenda combin- ing plenary sessions and small group discussions. Segments of the program included: • Overview of Federal risk communication activities and their effect on state and local activities — Information from the inventory of Federal programs — Case examples of Federal, state, and local risk communica- tion programs — A panel representing the perspectives of citizens, media, and industry 9 ------- • Fundamentals of the risk communication process and the techniques that can be used to communicate risk — Analysis of risk assessment data as the basis for risk com- munication — Perceptions of risk by the public — Identification of target audiences — Presentation of scientific information in a form understand- able by the general public — Evaluation of public response to risk communication programs. Participants were assigned to small groups and asked to identify the key problems that impede risk communication, formulate recom- mendations to address these problems, and suggest specific mecha- nisms or actions to implement the recommendations. A panel of Fed- eral Agency representatives discussed the policy implications of the recommendations. 10 ------- Chapter 3 PLANNED ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKING GROUP IN 1987 After initial information gathering, the Task Force made the fol- lowing changes in activities planned for FY87 (see Table 1): the inr door air pollution workshop focusing on allergens and pathogens was moved to 1989 and replaced with a workshop on the health effects of pesticides, and the environmental epidemiology dictionary project will begin in 1987 rather than in 1988. Additional activities in public edu- cation and risk communication will be incorporated into the plan. Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure Several Task Force Agencies have responsibilities for managing the use of pesticides and reducing their deleterious health effects. While many groups and organizations have examined the effects of pesticides on the environment, many information gaps exist, particu- larly with regard to linking exposure to disease. Recognizing the need for exposure data in developing more realistic risk assessments, the Tbsk Force will initiate the planning of a workshop on the health ef- fects of pesticide exposure. The workshop will have a consumer-user orientation and focus on nonoccupational exposures. The objectives will be to identify gaps in knowledge, achieve scientific consensus on future research and policy needs, and produce a report including re- search recommendations. 11 ------- Health Professional Education TOXNET To further Task Force efforts to provide information to health professionals on environmental and occupational health issues, the IEPLG will work with the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to disseminate information on the TOXNET data base. TOXNET, sup- ported by NLM, CDC, EPA, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR-CDC), was developed in partial re- sponse to the Superfund legislation requirement that an inventory of literature on the health effects of toxic substances be compiled and maintained. The information in TOXNET could be useful to primary care physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of environmentally and occupationally related diseases. Therefore, the target groups for this information dissemination project will be primary care practitioners of family, preventive, and internal medicine. The IEPLG will develop a brochure on TOXNET that is specifically tailored to the informational needs of primary care practitioners. In addition, an exhibit will be de- signed for display at the annual meetings of selected physician groups. The exhibit will demonstrate how to use TOXNET. This ac- tivity will include an evaluation of the effectiveness of targeting mes- sages to physician groups. Occupational and Environmental Asthma The Division of Lung Diseases, NHLBI, has awarded grants to improve the teaching of prevention in pulmonary medicine. This net- work of grantees in participating medical schools has concentrated heavily on occupational and environmental insults and their preven- tion. The'IEPLG is planning a meeting to promote communication linkages between pulmonary medicine grantees and practitioners of family medicine. This meeting will serve as a forum for the communi- cation of new research findings in pulmonary medicine to primary care practitioners. The focus will be the prevention or reduced inci- dence of environmentally and* occupationally related pulmonary dis- ease. A report of the meeting will be prepared. 12 ------- Public Education and Communication The Role of Government in Health Risk Communication and Public Education As described in Chapter 2, the Workshop on the Role of Govern- ment in Health Risk Communication was held in January 1987. Fol- lowing the Workshop, the Project Group on Public Education and Communication will prepare and publish a report, which will include recommendations for stimulating Agency cooperation in risk commu- nication, recommendations for research needed to reduce the limita- tions and uncertainties of risk assessment data, and recommendations on methods to improve risk communication. The report will also in- clude an assessment of the needs of risk communicators and experts to more effectively plan, develop, implement, and evaluate risk com- munication programs. In addition, the Project Group will complete an inventory of existing Federal health risk communication programs, with particular emphasis on what risk communicators and experts are doing to address the key questions and problems raised during the Workshop, including a directory of key Federal Agency offices that are responsible for and involved in risk communication programs. Evaluation of Health Risk Communication Programs The Project Group on Public Education and Communication has recognized the importance of incorporating measures of program ef- fectiveness into programs and evaluating health risk communication programs. A workshop on evaluation is being planned and tentatively scheduled for late spring 1988. The objectives will be to gather and present information on risk communication evaluations done in the past and use this information to develop generic evaluation criteria. Case studies will be used to illustrate evaluation techniques. The ini- tial activity will be for Project Group members to identify case studies on risk communication that are being evaluated within their Agencies. Environmental Dictionary Before beginning the compilation of an environmental dictionary, the Working Group planned to conduct a feasibility study to deter- mine the need for such a product, the scope and orientation of the entries, and interest on the part of physician groups, environmental groups, and commercial publishers. The results of the study will be presented to an advisory committee, which will then determine how 13 ------- to proceed with the activity. It is expected that the publication will serve as a desk reference on environmental terms and will have a clinical-chemical orientation. The document will include lists of refer- ral organizations and experts. Cost-Effectiveness Methodologies in Research Planning Task Force member Agencies will be surveyed to ascertain the extent to which cost-effectiveness is considered in planning health re- search programs. Efforts to reduce budget deficits and the escalation of health care delivery costs have stimulated increased attention to the economic efficiency of current and future approaches to improv- ing health. Increased attention to cost-effectiveness might provide a means of increasing the utility of research recommendations, includ- ing the Task Force's recommendations. Possible Task Force efforts in this area may include a bibliographic compilation on current methodologies and their use, a workshop in- volving Agency personnel who conduct studies of cost-effectiveness, and a symposium involving participants from Government, academia, and industry, with the proceedings to be published. 14 ------- Chapter 4 RECOMMENDATIONS The Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease recommends strategies and other measures that might help in determining and quantifying relationships between environmental pol- lution and human disease and in preventing or reducing the incidence of environmentally related disease. The findings and conclusions de- veloped by scientists who participate in consensus-building meetings sponsored by the Task Force are considered in the formulation of rec- ommendations. Accordingly, the recommendations stated in this re- port are a summary of the conclusions developed by scientists in those meetings. These recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Task Force member Agencies. Health Professional Education Physicians and educators at the Workshop on The Community as Patient developed recommendations and strategies for education and research to contribute to the determination of the relationship be- tween environmental and occupational factors and human disease. They were specifically concerned with the role of the academic-based occupational medicine physician in communities faced with environmental threats, There was overall agreement on the need for national, state, and local programs to enhance health professional education on occu- pational and environmental health hazards in the community. The full report of the Workshop includes recommendations for both research and education and discusses strategies for implementation of these recommendations. 15 ------- Recommendation 1: Training. Academic medical centers should be encouraged to teach their medical students to take an occupational and environmental history from their pa- tients on a routine basis. In general, physicians do not take occupational factors into ac- count when evaluating their patients' health problems, and they prob- ably afford less attention to environmental factors. Medical histories often are incomplete with respect to hazards that may be encountered in the home (indoor pollution] and workplace hazards that may be transmitted to the home, e.g., on the clothing of workers. For various reasons—lack of awareness, unavailability of appropriate forms- physicians do not ask questions to elicit information about their pa- tients' work and home environments, Such information is needed for the diagnosis, treatment, and pre- vention of occupationally and environmentally related disease. The national health promotion/disease prevention strategy, set forth in the DHHS 1990 Objectives for the Nation, recognizes this need: by 1990, at least 70 percent of primary health care providers should routinely elicit occupational health exposures as part of the patient history, and at least 70 percent of all primary care physicians should be able to identify the principal health consequences of exposure to major categories of environmental threats.* Medical schools should incorporate practical instruction on how to take occupational and environmental histories into the basic curric- ulum. The taking of these histories and the interpretation of the infor- mation in establishing diagnoses should be emphasized as essential to good medical practice. Recommendation 2; Surveillance and Collaboration. For specific exposures, all primary care physicians who see pa- tients presenting with occupational and environmental expo- sures should be encouraged to work collaboratively to gather in-depth data on exposure and adverse sequelae, including derivation of exposure-dose relationships. Surveillance is the first step in preventing disease. Physicians, particularly occupational medicine physicians, are in the position to collect information about exposures and the occurrence of disease. *U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 10flO. Promoting Health/Preventing Disease: Objectives for the Nation, pp. 35, 42. 16 ------- Collaborative efforts are needed to identify occupations or environmental insults that are likely to involve risks of disease. The collaboration of occupational medicine physicians, who see patients with common workplace exposures, will serve to increase the information base on exposure and the development of occupation- al disease. This information will also be helpful in determining the points of transition from clinical normality to abnormality. In addition, the benefits of combining clinical practice and epidemiologic inquiry are becoming increasingly evident. Clinical considerations related to the identification of disease in individuals comprising a population having a specific exposure are essential to epidemiologic study. Epidemiologic studies provide important infor- mation to clinicians for their decisions on individual patient care in matters relating to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Recommendation 3: Identification of Populations Likely lb Be Exposed. State and local health entities should be urged to encourage primary care physicians to be knowledgeable about which populations in specific geographic areas may be exposed to environmental hazards and may need information on potential risks to their health. Groups at risk may include those who live near hazardous waste sites. The identification of these and other groups could be useful for further clinical workups so as to establish possible linkages between exposure and adverse health effects. Anecdotal data indicate that many physicians are unaware of environmental hazards in their prac- tice areas. Those who are aware of environmental problems may not know what health risks may be associated with such hazards. This lack of awareness and information adversely affects the physicians' ability to take care of patients. Continuing medical education programs could stimulate physicians to be alert to the possibility of high-risk groups in the community and expand physicians' sensitivity to report- ing responsibilities. 17 ------- Appendix A SECTION 402 OF PUBLIC LAW 95-95 ------- Appendix A SECTION 402 OF PUBLIC LAW 95-95 Glean Air Act Amendments of 1977 "INTERAGENCY COOPERATION ON PREVENTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE Sec. 402(a) Not later than three months after the date of enactment of this section, there shall be established a Task Force on Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease (hereinafter referred to as the Task Force'). The Task Force shall include representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Cancer Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute (for) Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Institute (of) Environmental Health Sciences, and shall be chaired by the Adminis- trator (or his delegate). (b) The Task Force shall— (1) recommend a comprehensive research program to deter- mine and quantify the relationship between environmental pollution and human cancer and heart and lung disease; (2) recommend comprehensive strategies to reduce or eliminate the risks of cancer or such other diseases associated with environmental pollution; (3) recommend research and such other measures as may be appropriate to prevent or reduce the incidence of environmentally related cancer and heart and lung dis- eases; 21 ------- (4) coordinate research by, and stimulate cooperation between, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and such other Agencies as may be appropriate to prevent environmentally related cancer and heart and lung diseases; and (5) report to Congress, not later than one year after the date of enactment of this section and annually thereafter, on the problems and progress in carrying out this section." 22 ------- Appendix B TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE ------- Appendix B TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE PLENARY AND ALTERNATES 1986 Lee M. Thomas, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chairperson Richard H. Adamson, Director, Division of Cancer Etiology, NCI Scott R. Baker, Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator, Office of Research and Development, EPA, Working Group Chairperson Charles DeLisi, Associate Director, Office of Energy Research, DOE Vincent T. DeVita, Director, NCI Manning Feinleib, Director, NCHS Jean French, Science Advisor, Office of the Director, CDC/NIOSH John A. Gronvall, Chief Medical Director, VA Suzanne S. Hurd, Director, Division of Lung Diseases, NHLBI 25 ------- Claude Lenfant, Director, NHLBI James O. Mason, Director, CDC J. Donald Millar, Director, CDC/NIOSH David P. Rail, Director, NIEHS William Tallent, Assistant Administrator, Agricultural Research Service, USDA J.W. Thiessen, Deputy Associate Director, Office of Energy Research, DOE Andrew Ulsamer, Acting Associate Executive Director for Health Sciences, CPSC Ralph Yodaiken, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, OSHA Frank E. Young, Commissioner, FDA 26 ------- WORKING GROUP MEMBERS 1986 Scott R. Baker, Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator, Office of Research and Development, EPA Chairperson Richard H. Adamson, Director, Division of Cancer Etiology, NCI Nathaniel Barr, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Office of Energy Research, DOE Lois Ann Beaver, Staff Scientist, Office of Science Coordination, Office of the Commissioner, FDA Zakir H. Bengali, Division of Lung Diseases, NHLBI Bruce Cohen, Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, NCHS James R. Fouts, Senior Scientific Advisor to the Director, NIEHS Jean French, Science Advisor, Office of the Director, CDC/NIOSH Kailash C. Gupta, Deputy Director HSHL, CPSC John R. Herbold, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs], DoD Max Lum, Medical Education Specialist, Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA Richard M. Parry, Jr., Assistant to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service, USDA Maria Pavlova, National Expert on Toxicology EPA—Region II A. Richey Sharrett, Chief, Social and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, NHLBI 27 ------- Barclay M. Shepard, Ralph Yodaiken, Director, Agent Orange Director, Office of Project Office, VA Occupational Medicine, OSHA 28 ------- INTERAGENCY EDUCATION PROGRAM LIAISON GROUP 1986 Max Lum, Medical Education Specialist, Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA Chairperson E. Joseph Bangiolo, Office of Cancer Communications, NCI Lois Ann Beaver, Staff Scientist, Office of Science Coordination, Office of the Commissioner, FDA Paul W. Bergman, Pesticide Use and Impact Assessment Extension Service, USDA Lee Gigliotti, Acting Chief, Health Promotion Sciences Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, NCI Sydney Parker, Chief, Prevention, Education, and Manpower Branch, Division of Lung Diseases, NHLBI James R, Secrest, Chief, Multidisciplinary Resource Development Branch, Division of Medicine, HRSA Alan D. Stevens (Retired 1986), Director, Division of Training and Manpower Development, CDC/NIOSH Ralph Yodaiken, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, OSHA 29 ------- PROJECT GROUP ON QUALITY ASSURANCE IN ANALYTICAL METHODOLOGY 1986 Lois Ann Beaver, Staff Scientist, Office of Science Coordination, Office of the Commissioner, FDA Chairperson Stanley M. Blacker, Director, Quality Assurance and Special Studies Staff, EPA Douglas W, Bristol, Toxicology Research and Testing Program, NIEHS Harry S. Hertz, Director, Center for Analytical Chemistry, NBS William Horwitz, Acting Director, Science Policy Staff, FDA Eric J. Sampson, Acting Director, Clinical Chemistry Division, CDC 30 ------- PROJECT GROUP ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION* 1986 Maria Pavlova, National Expert on Toxicology, EPA—Region II Chairperson Frederick Allen, Associate Director, Policy Analysis, EPA Donald Barnes, Science Advisor, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, EPA Alexander Cohen, Deputy Director, Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science, CDC/NIOSH Vincent Covello, Director for Risk Assessment and Risk Management Research, National Science Foundation Thomas W. Devine, Director, Office of Policy, Budget and Program Management, EPA Susan Diehl, Risk Assessment Coordinator, Office of the Regional Administrator, EPA—Region IV Ann Fisher, Senior Economist, Office of Policy Analysis, EPA James R. Fouts, Senior Scientific Advisor to the Director, NIEHS Jean French, Science Advisor, Office of the Director, CDC/NIOSH John Herbold, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), DoD Michael D. Hogan, Special Assistant for Risk Assessment, Biometry and Risk Assessment Program, NIEHS Edward A. Klein, Director, TSCA Assistance Office, Office of Toxic Substances, EPA 'Became the Interagency Group on Public Education and Communication in January 1987. 31 ------- Christine Krutszch, Public Affairs Specialist, Office of Prevention, Education, and Control, NHLBI Stanley L. Laskowski, Deputy Regional Administrator, EPA James Marshall, Director, Office of Internal Affairs, EPA—Region II David McCallum, Senior Fellow, Institute for Health Policy Analysis, Georgetown University School of Medicine Sanford Miller, Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA Kim Mortensen, Public Health Advisor, CDC/ATSDR Richard M. Parry, Jr., Assistant to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service, USD A Peter Preuss, Director, Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, EPA Rose Mary Romano, Chief, Information Projects Branch, Office of Cancer Communications, NCI Robert J. Scheuplein, Deputy Director, Office of the Director, Toxicological Services, FDA Barclay M- Shepard, Director, Agent Orange Project Office, VA Karen Skinner, Special Assistant to the Director for Science Policy, Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA Frank Tooper, Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, DOE Andrew Ulsamer, Director, Health Services, CPSC Michael White, Associate Director, NHLBI Jeannette Wiltse, Air Toxics Coordinator, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Research and Development EPA 32 ------- Appendix C SELECTED PUBLICATIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE ------- Appendix C SELECTED PUBLICATIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER AND HEART AND LUNG DISEASE The following publications represent some of the contributions to the study of environmental disease, its causes, treatment, and prevention, made by Task Force-sponsored workshops, symposia, conferences, and research reports. 1. Environmental Cancer and Heart and Lung Disease, Annual Reports to Congress, 1978-1985. (Available from Technical Resources, Inc., and NTIS.) Eighth Annual Report. 1985. NTIS Accession No. PB87 184412; paper copy $13.95; microfiche $6.50. Seventh Annual Report. 1984. NTIS Accession No. PB85 236842; paper copy $10.00; microfiche $4.50. Sixth Annual Report. 1983. NTIS Accession No. PB84 219187; paper copy $11.50; microfiche $4.50. Fifth Annual Report. 1982. NTIS Accession No. PB83 155762; paper copy $16.00; microfiche $4.50. Fourth Annual Report. 1981. NTIS Accession No. PB82 200429; paper copy $12,00; microfiche $4.00. Third Annual Report. 1980. NTIS Accession No. PB81 174716; paper copy $11.00; microfiche $3.50. Second Annual Report. 1979. Available from Technical Resources, Inc. First Annual Report. 1978. Available from Technical Resources, Inc. 35 ------- These annual reports describe the activities and accomplishments of the Task Force for the preceding year. Summaries of the various Task Force Project Group activities are also given, with emphasis on major workshops and reports undertaken during the year. Recommendations for research needed to elucidate environment-disease relationships are presented. 2 Environmental Health-Related Information, A Bibliographic Guide to Federal Sources for the Health Professional. 1984. (Available only from NTIS; NTIS Accession No. PB84 22981; paper $25.00; micro- fiche $4.50.) This annotated bibliography contains selected materials on occupa- tional and environmental health available from Federal organizations. It includes audiovisual presentations as well as publications related to the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and limitation of environmentally related disease. The book is organized by categories chosen to guide the user to the desired materials as efficiently as possible. Appendixes provide information on NCI Cancer Centers, Educational Resource Centers supported by NIOSH, Federally funded clearinghouses for environmental health issues, and accredited residencies in preventive and occupational medicine. 3 Exposure Assessment: Problems and Prospects, Journal of Toxicolo- gy—Clinical Toxicology, Vol. 21, Nos. 1 and 2, 1983-84. Special Sym- posium Issue. Experts from Government, academia, and clinical research institu- tions presented papers describing various models and approaches cur- rently used to assess human exposure to toxic substances. These pa- pers cover the various settings and purposes for which exposure de- terminations are undertaken. Each paper is followed by references and the discussion that took place at the symposium. 4 Summary of the Workshop on Exposure to Environmental Agents, Their Metabolism, and Mechanisms of Toxicity: Research Needs. 36 ------- August 1981. (NTIS Accession No. PB82 212895; paper $13.50; micro- fiche $4.00.) This summary presents the full text and rationale of 72 research rec- ommendations developed through a consensus of scientific experts. The document is a compilation of research needs for environmental cancer and heart and lung disease in areas such as epidemiology, ex- posure quantification and monitoring, metabolism, and disease processes. Both short- and long-term needs are identified in a bal- anced focus on basic and applied environmental disease research. 5 Position Papers from the Workshop on Exposure to Environmental Agents, Their Metabolism, and Mechanisms of Toxicity. Published as a Special Issue of the Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Vol. 17A, No. 4, July 1982. A wide range of topics was covered in this publication, including initi- ation/promotion concepts of carcinogenesis, toxicologic interactions and pathogenesis of lung and heart disease, and total exposure mod- els in animals and humans. 6 Legal and Administrative Impediments to the Conduct of Epidemiologic Research. 1984. This study was conducted to determine whether significant modifica- tions or relaxation in impediments to data access and record linkage have occurred since the Task Force recommendation on this issue in its Fourth Annual Report to Congress. Recent literature was re- viewed, and Federal epidemiologists involved with these issues were interviewed. 7 Quarterly Calendar. To facilitate information dissemination within a 3-month timeframe, the Task Force Calendar announces meetings, conferences, symposia, courses, public hearings, and workshops that pertain to environmental pollution and disease. 37 ------- 8. Workshop on Environmental Education Needs of Health Profession- als. 1979. The summary report of this workshop identifies the needs of health professionals in environmental education and develops action plans to enhance their capability to prevent environment-related disease. 9 Recommendations of Environmental and Occupational Education of Health Professionals. 1980. These recommendations outline a strategy through which health pro- fessionals can more effectively prevent environment-related disease. Included in the strategy are the establishment of an Interagency Edu- cation Program Liaison Group and specific recommendations address- ing curricula, faculty, students, continuing education, and research components. 1 0 Report of the Workshop on Environmentally Related Nononcogenic Lung Disease, Environmental Research, Vol. 38, No. 2, 1985. This report is intended to reflect the current state of knowledge on environmentally related nononcogenic lung disease. It contains 45 re- search recommendations and supporting rationales that resulted from a week-long workshop. Sessions were held on epidemiology, statis- tics, and risk assessment; clinical research; and basic and animal re- search. There is an extensive list of references at the end of the re- port. 1 1 Report of the Seminar on Laboratory Quality Assurance, A Manage- ment Approach. 1984. This report summarizes the presentations given at a 2-day seminar sponsored by the Task Force Project Group on Quality Assurance in Analytical Methodology. Scientists and laboratory managers dis- cussed the difficulties involved in producing reliable and compatible 38 ------- laboratory data. A problem-solving technique was used to elicit possi- ble solutions to the successful application of quality assurance at the managerial level. 12 . Strategies for Determining the Mechanisms of Toxicity. Prepared by the Subcommittee on Metabolism of the Project Group on Exposure and Metabolic Mechanisms, Journal of Toxicology—Clinical Toxicol- ogy, Vol. 23, No. 1, 1985. The report poses a series of questions for developing strategies for the use of mechanistic approaches to studying the toxicity of chemi- cals. The questions are discussed for toxicities relevant to environmental cancer and heart and lung disease. The report is intended to provide guiding principles on how pharmacokinetic and metabolism studies should be used in toxicity experiments. 13 . Report of the Workshop on the Contribution of Airborne Pollutants to Respiratory Cancer, Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 70, 1986. The report includes an overview and papers describing the contribu- tion of radon, environmental fibers, formaldehyde, organic particles, passive smoking, and metals to the incidence of respiratory cancer. Each of these airborne pollutants is discussed in the context of its in- teraction with cigarette smoke and the risk of exposure to human populations. Data gaps and uncertainties are identified, and recom- mendations are suggested for research to reduce these uncertainties. 14 . Report of the Workshop on Environmental Toxicity and the Aging Process. 1987. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. As an effort to provide impetus to a multidisciplinary approach to the study of interactions between factors in the environment and human aging processes, two commissioned papers were prepared. One paper addresses the issues from the gerontological perspective and the other from the toxicological perspective. The report also includes recom- mendations for future research. 39 ------- 15. Report of the Special Grand Rounds: Women at Work. 1986. (NTIS Accession No. PB87 184263; paper copy $13.95; microfiche $6.50.) The report is a compilation of presentations on women's occupational health issues. These include an overview discussion of possible health effects associated with exposure to video display terminals and toxic substances in the workplace, and an annotated listing of educational resources. IB Report of the Workshop on The Community as Patient. In prepara- tion. The report will include two case studies illustrating various roles of health professionals in responding to environmental health concerns of the community. The highlights of the Workshop discussions and recommendations for research and education will also be presented. 40 ------- To obtain ordering information on any of the selected publications, please complete the card below and return to Technical Resources, Inc. 3202 Monroe Street Suite 300 Rockville, Maryland 20852 Attention: Brooke Joseph A limited number of free copies of these publications is available. Name __ „„Title Affiliation Street City State Zip Please circle the item number of the publication(s) you wish to receive. 1 Years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ------- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Public Health Service National Cancer Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control Food and Drug Administration Department of Energy Consumer Product Safety Commission Occupational Safety and Health Administration Department of Agriculture Veterans Administration Department of Defense ------- |