[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58700-58701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25779]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service


National Toxicology Program

    The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Center for the Evaluation of 
Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) Announces the Availability of the 
NTP-CERHR Monograph on Methanol and Plans for Announcing Availability 
of Future Monographs.

Summary

    The NTP-CERHR Monograph on the Potential Human Reproductive and 
Developmental Effects of Methanol is now available electronically on 
the CERHR web site or on CD or in printed text from the CERHR (contact 
information below). All future notifications about the availability of 
NTP-CERHR monographs will be provided through announcements from the 
NTP list-server (an electronic notification service) and on the CERHR 
web site: http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov.

NTP-CERHR Monograph on Methanol

    The CERHR announces the availability of the NTP-CERHR

[[Page 58701]]

Monograph on the Potential Human Reproductive and Developmental Effects 
of Methanol. This monograph is the next in the NTP-CERHR series and is 
posted electronically on the CERHR website: http://cerhr/niehs/nih/gov. 
It is also available on CD or in printed text (limited copies) from the 
CERHR by contacting Dr. Michael Shelby, Director CERHR [NIEHS, 79 T.W. 
Alexander Drive, Building 4401, Room 103, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-32, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, telephone: (919) 541-3455; facsimile: 
(919) 316-4511; [email protected].]
    The CERHR follows a formal process for the evaluation of selected 
chemicals that includes opportunities for public input. The NTP-CERHR 
monographs are the final products of those evaluations. NTP-CERHR 
monographs include three parts: (1) The NTP brief, which presents the 
NTP's interpretation of the available data and its conclusions on the 
potential for a chemical to cause adverse developmental and 
reproductive effects in humans, (2) the expert panel report, and (3) 
all public comments on the expert panel report. The NTP utilizes 
information provided in the expert panel report, the public comments, 
as well as information from studies published since the expert panel 
meeting in reaching its conclusions about any potential hazard for 
humans.

Plans for Announcing Availability of Future Monographs

    All future notifications about the availability of NTP-CERHR 
monographs will be provided through announcements from the NTP list-
server (an electronic mail service) and on the CERHR web site: http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov. Anyone can subscribe to the NTP list-server to 
receive notification about these documents and other NTP activities in 
several ways: (1) By registering on-line through the NTP web site at 
http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov, select Announcements, (2) by sending 
an e-mail to [email protected] with the word subscribe 
as the body of the message, or (3) by contacting the NTP Liaison and 
Scientific Review Office (919-541-0530 or 
[email protected]). Individuals or groups who have already 
subscribed to the NTP list-server do not need to subscribe again.
    Monographs are now completed for six phthalates [di-butyl phthalate 
(DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP), di-
isononyl phthalate (DINP), di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHP), and di-n-octyl 
phthalate (DnOP)] and methanol. The monographs for di-(2-ethylhexyl) 
phthalate (DEHP), 1-bromopropane, 2-bromopropane, ethylene glycol, and 
propylene glycol are in production and the NTP will make them available 
as soon as they are completed.

Background Information About CERHR

    The NTP established the NTP CERHR in June 1998 [Federal Register, 
December 14, 1998: Volume 63, Number 239, page 68782)]. The CERHR is a 
publicly accessible resource for information about adverse reproductive 
and/or developmental health effects associated with exposure to 
environmental and/or occupational agents. The CERHR carries out 
assessments of these agents following a formal, multi-step, open 
process that includes rigorous evaluations by independent scientific 
panels in public forums and opportunities for public input. This 
process was published in the Federal Register (July 16, 2001: Volume 
66, Number 136, pages 37047-37048) and is available on the CERHR web 
site see About CERHR or in printed text from the CERHR.
    The CERHR invites the nomination of agents for review or scientists 
for its expert registry. Information about CERHR and the nomination 
process can be obtained from its homepage (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) 
or by contacting Dr. Shelby (contact information provided above). The 
CERHR selects chemicals for evaluation based upon several factors, 
including production volume, extent of human exposure, public concern, 
and published evidence of reproductive or developmental toxicity.

    Dated: October 2, 2003.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Deputy Director, National Institute Environmental Health Sciences
[FR Doc. 03-25779 Filed 10-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P