The guidelines are prospective only and will apply to the agency's current and future risk assessments of environmental pollutants, EPA notes.

"These guidelines will help us apply the most up-to-date science and to incorporate new science as it becomes available in assessing the risks associated with environmental exposures to carcinogens," says Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development Tim Oppelt. "EPA's guiding principle is that our cancer risk assessments be public-health protective."

Cancer Risks from Environment

The new cancer guidelines are designed to guide EPA scientists and others in assessing the cancer risks resulting from exposure to chemicals or other agents in the environment, says EPA. The guidelines also are used to inform agency decision makers and the public about risk assessment procedures.

The supplemental guidance describes possible approaches that EPA could use in assessing cancer-risk exposures to children from 0 to 16 years of age. It includes a review of existing scientific literature on chemical effects in animals and humans.

The supplemental guidance also summarizes the results of the cancer studies that investigated early life exposure, EPA's analysis of those studies, and analysis to strengthen the scientific basis for adjusting from studies conducted in adults to children.

This document is consistent with the National Research Council's 1994 recommendation that "EPA assess risks to infants and children whenever it appears that their risks might be greater than those of adults," EPA points out.

Independent Scientific Review

The draft cancer guidelines and draft supplemental guidance were announced in the Federal Register on March 3, 2003. Both documents have undergone extensive public comment and independent scientific peer review.

Both documents and additional information are available online. .