Commentary: IARC Monographs Program and public health under siege by corporate interests

Towards a more effective REACH legislation in protecting human health

There is growing evidence indicating the substantial contribution of man-made products to an increase in the risk of diseases of civilization. In this article, the Belgian Scientific Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee gives a critical view on the working of REACH. The current regulatory framework needs to further evolve taking into account data generated using modern science and technology. There is a need for improved assessment process not only before but also after entering the market. Objectivity, transparency, and the follow-up after market access can be optimized. Additionally, no guidance documents exist for regulation of mixture effects. Further, the lengthiness before regulatory action is a big concern. Decision-making often takes several years leading to uncertainties for both producers and end users. A first proposed improvement is the implementation of independent toxicity testing, to assure objectivity, transparency, and check and improve compliance. A "no data, no market" principle could prevent access of hazardous chemicals to the market. Additionally, the introduction of novel testing could improve information on endpoints such as endocrine disrupting abilities, neurotoxicity, and immunotoxicity. An adapted regulatory framework that integrates data from different sources and comparing the outputs with estimates of exposure is required. Fast toxicology battery testing and toxicokinetic testing could improve speed of decision-making. Hereby, several improvements have been proposed that could improve the current REACH legislation.

Defining Priorities for Action and Research on the Commercial Determinants of Health: A Conceptual Review

In recent years, the concept of commercial determinants of health (CDoH) has attracted scholarly, public policy, and activist interest. To date, however, this new attention has failed to yield a clear and consistent definition, well-defined metrics for quantifying its impact, or coherent directions for research and intervention. By tracing the origins of this concept over 2 centuries of interactions between market forces and public health action and research, we propose an expanded framework and definition of CDoH. This conceptualization enables public health professionals and researchers to more fully realize the potential of the CDoH concept to yield insights that can be used to improve global and national health and reduce the stark health inequities within and between nations. It also widens the utility of CDoH from its main current use to study noncommunicable diseases to other health conditions such as infectious diseases, mental health conditions, injuries, and exposure to environmental threats. We suggest specific actions that public health professionals can take to transform the burgeoning interest in CDoH into meaningful improvements in health. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(12):2202-2211. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306491).

Enhanced communication of IARC Monograph findings to better achieve public health outcomes

Despite certain assertions, IARC Monographs involve more than hazard identification because they address exposure and risk for particular tumour sites. Immediate communication of all such key findings, together with authorities positioned to intervene, would reduce misunderstanding and also aid public health.

Analysis of scientific production on glyphosate: An example of politicization of science

Glyphosate is one of the most used herbicides worldwide. However there still exists a strong debate about its effects on the environment or people health. In this context, the metric analysis is a methodology increasingly used to quantify and evaluate the scope of the scientific production around a specific topic. The goal of this work was to characterize the context of knowledge generation about glyphosate. All the scientific production linked to glyphosate was analyzed in the period from 1974 to 2016, using the Web of Science (WOS) as a source of information and "glyphosate" as a search criterion. A total of 8174 records were found. The bibliographic production on this herbicide experienced a sustained increase. There was a concentration in knowledge generation led by the United States. Monsanto Company produced the largest number of articles during the first thirty years of the development of this topic. Research around glyphosate in South America gained importance as of the year 2000, with Brazil being the country with the highest production followed by Argentina. A large proportion of research was focused on agricultural science, while the analysis of toxicology or environmental effects did not begin until the year 2000, and it is still insufficient.