[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63848-63849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25472]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Report on Carcinogens Evaluation of Pentachlorophenol; Request
for Nominations of Scientific Experts
SUMMARY: The National Toxicology Program (NTP), Division of the
National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences (NIEHS), is initiating development of the Report on
Carcinogens (RoC) monograph on pentachlorophenol. To inform development
of that monograph, the Office of the RoC (ORoC) will hold a web-based
meeting to obtain information related to evaluating human epidemiologic
studies on exposure to pentachlorophenol and cancer risk and invites
the nomination of speakers. Nominees should have expertise in cancer
epidemiology and knowledge of studies related to exposure to
pentachlorophenol. Self-nomination is permitted.
DATES: The deadline for nominations is December 3, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Nominations should be submitted to Dr. Ruth Lunn, Director,
ORoC, DNTP, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MD K2-14, Research Triangle Park, NC
27709; telephone (919) 316-4637; FAX: (301) 480-2970;
lunn@niehs.nih.gov. Courier address: NIEHS, Room 2138, 530 Davis Drive,
Morrisville, NC 27560.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ruth Lunn, Director, ORoC, DNTP,
NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MD K2-14, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709;
telephone (919) 316-4637; FAX: (301) 480-2970; lunn@niehs.nih.gov.
Courier address: NIEHS, Room 2138, 530 Davis Drive, Morrisville, NC
27560.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: Pentachlorophenol (including its
sodium salts) is a chlorinated aromatic compound that is used primarily
as a wood preservative in the United States. It was selected for
evaluation for the RoC based on widespread past use and current
exposure in the United States and an adequate database of cancer
studies.
The final concept document for pentachlorophenol, which outlines
the rationale for its selection for RoC evaluation and the proposed
approach for development of the cancer evaluation component of the RoC
monograph on pentachlorophenol, is available on the RoC Web site (
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/37897). The NTP Board of Scientific
Counselors provided comments on the draft concept at its meeting on
June 21, 2012 (minutes available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/9741).
Important to the evaluation of the potential carcinogenicity of
pentachlorophenol is the assessment of evidence from human cancer
studies. From an initial search of the peer-reviewed literature, the
available human epidemiologic studies include: (1) Several case-control
studies (primarily of hematopoietic cancer) reporting risk estimates
for job titles associated with pentachlorophenol exposure or exposure
to chlorophenols with limited information on exposure specific for
pentachlorophenol, (2) case-control studies reporting risk estimates
specific for pentachlorophenol, and (3) cohort studies of
pentachlorophenol production workers or users. A key issue in
evaluating the evidence in humans is the potential for confounding from
co-exposures, especially contaminants of pentachlorophenol formed
during its production. Major cancers of interest are multiple myeloma,
lymphoma, and soft-tissue sarcoma.
Meeting Information: ORoC will hold a web-based meeting to obtain
information related to evaluating human epidemiologic studies on
exposure to pentachlorophenol and cancer risk, especially for lymphoma
and multiple myeloma. In planning for this event, ORoC is inviting the
nomination of speakers who would make presentations that focus on the
methods used in human epidemiologic studies of pentachlorophenol to
evaluate potential confounding from occupational co-exposures, other
types of information that may be important in evaluating potential
confounding, and how exposure to confounders may affect each study's
findings. Once plans for the web-based meeting are finalized,
additional information including agenda, speakers, logistics, and
registration, will be announced in a subsequent Federal Register
notice.
Request for Nominations of Speakers: ORoC invites the nomination of
speakers for the web-based meeting with expertise in epidemiology and
knowledge of cancer studies on exposure to pentachlorophenol. Self-
nomination is permitted. Each nomination should include (1) Contact
information for the nominee [name,
[[Page 63849]]
affiliation (if any), address, telephone, fax, and email], (2) a short
description of the individual's expertise relative to the review of
human epidemiologic studies of exposure to pentachlorophenol and cancer
risk, (3) curriculum vitae, and (4) an abstract describing what would
be covered in the talk to address the presentations' focus as noted
above in ``Meeting Information.'' Persons submitting nominations should
provide their name, contact information, affiliation, and sponsoring
organization (if any). Nominations should be submitted to Dr. Lunn (see
ADDRESSES); their receipt will be acknowledged by email. The deadline
for nominations is December 3, 2012. Persons selected as speakers will
be notified by email at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
Background Information on the RoC: The RoC is a congressionally
mandated document that identifies and discusses substances that may
pose a hazard to human health by virtue of their carcinogenicity.
Substances are listed in the report as either known or reasonably
anticipated human carcinogens. The NTP prepares the RoC on behalf of
the Secretary of Health and Human Services following a formal, multi-
step process for review and evaluation of selected substances (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/rocprocess). Information about the RoC is
available on the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc) or by
contacting Dr. Lunn (see ADDRESSES).
Dated: October 11, 2012.
John R. Bucher,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-25472 Filed 10-16-12; 8:45 am]
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