[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 118 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34382-34383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13889]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service


National Toxicology Program (NTP); National Institute of 
Environmental Health Sciences; The NTP Center for the Evaluation of 
Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) Expert Panel Report on the 
Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity of Acrylamide: Notice of 
Availability and Request for Public Comments

    Summary: Notice is hereby given of the availability on June 30, 
2004, of the Expert Panel Report on the Developmental and Reproductive 
Toxicity of Acrylamide. This report includes the summaries and 
conclusions of the expert panel's evaluation of the scientific data for 
potential reproductive and/or developmental hazards associated with 
exposure to acrylamide. The CERHR held this expert panel meeting May 
17-19, 2004. CERHR is seeking public comment on this report and 
additional information about recent, relevant toxicology or human 
exposure studies. The CERHR requests that all comments and other 
information be submitted to the CERHR at the address below by August 
16, 2004.

Availability of Reports

    This expert panel report will be available by June 30, 2004, on the 
CERHR Web site (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) and in printed copy or 
compact disc by contacting the CERHR [P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-32, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; telephone: (919) 541-3455; fax: (919) 
316-4511; or e-mail: [email protected]].

Request for Public Comments

    The CERHR invites public comments on this expert panel report and 
input regarding any recent, relevant toxicology or human exposure 
studies. The CERHR requests that all comments and other information be 
submitted to the CERHR at the address above by August 16, 2004.
    All public comments received by the date above will be reviewed and 
included in the final NTP-CERHR monograph on acrylamide to be prepared 
by NTP staff. The NTP-CERHR monograph will include the NTP brief, 
expert panel report, and all public comments received on the report. 
The brief will provide the NTP's interpretation of the potential for 
adverse reproductive and/or developmental effects to humans from 
exposure to acrylamide. The NTP-CERHR monograph will be sent to 
appropriate federal agencies and will be available to the public and 
the scientific community on the CERHR Web site, in hardcopy, or on 
compact disc.

Background

    Acrylamide is used in the production of polyacrylamide, which is 
used in water treatment, pulp and paper production, mineral processing, 
and scientific research. Polyacrylamide is used in the synthesis of 
dyes, adhesives, contact lenses, soil conditioners, cosmetics and skin 
creams, food packaging materials, and permanent press fabrics. 
Acrylamide has been shown to induce neurotoxicity in highly exposed 
workers and in cases of acute poisoning. In animal studies, exposure to 
acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer and adverse effects on 
reproduction and fetal development. The CERHR selected acrylamide for 
expert panel evaluation because of (1) recent public concern for human 
exposures through its presence in some starchy foods cooked at high 
temperatures (e.g., French fries and potato chips) and (2) availability 
of data on human exposure, bioavailability, and reproductive toxicity.
    A 14-member expert panel composed of scientists from the federal 
government, universities, and private companies conducted an evaluation 
of the reproductive and developmental toxicities of acrylamide [Federal 
Register Vol. 69, No. 34, pages 7977-7978, February 2004]. The panel 
did not evaluate potential cancer hazards associated with exposure to 
acrylamide.

[[Page 34383]]

Public deliberations by the panel took place May 17-19, 2004, at the 
Holiday Inn Old Town Select in Alexandria, Virginia. Following the May 
meeting, the draft expert panel report was revised to incorporate the 
panel's conclusions and subsequently reviewed by Acrylamide Expert 
Panel, NTP scientists, and CERHR personnel.

Additional Information About CERHR

    The NTP and the NIEHS established the NTP CERHR in June 1998 
[Federal Register Vol. 63, No. 239, page 68782, December 1998]. The 
purpose of the CERHR is to provide scientifically based, uniform 
assessments of the potential for adverse effects on reproduction and 
development caused by agents to which humans may be exposed. Further 
information on the CERHR's chemical review process, including how to 
nominate chemicals for evaluation and scientists for the expert 
registry, can be obtained from its Web site (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) or by contacting the CERHR directly (see address 
above). The CERHR Web site also has information on various 
environmental exposures and their potential to affect fertility, 
pregnancy, and child development and links to other resources for 
public health information.

    Dated: June 10, 2004.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Deputy Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
[FR Doc. 04-13889 Filed 6-18-04; 8:45 am]
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