Understand and utilize the scientific weight of evidence!
The industrial and agricultural chemicals industries face numerous science, regulatory and perception challenges, often fueled by uncertainty. Uncertainty breeds fear, anxiety and sometimes contempt. Uncertainty also yields delayed and/or poor decisions. At SciPinion, we engage the world’s experts on very niche topics to serve on review panels to help reduce this uncertainty, thereby helping companies and governments make better decisions. Some of the ways we’ve been helping companies and governments include:
Peer Review Panels
- Mode of action peer review panels
- Endpoint specific classification and labeling panels
- Standing panels of former regulators
- TSCA risk assessment peer reviews
Rapid Response Services
- Leverage a standing panel of environmental epidemiology experts that can weigh in on time sensitive topics at a moment’s notice.
- Receive key insights in days or weeks instead of months or years.
Chemical Industry Application Examples
Cancer Classification Weight of Evidence
A pesticide (1,3-Dichloropropene – 1,3-D) had been historically classified as a likely human carcinogen. The registrant, through a series of studies, had determined that the carcinogenic potential of the formulation was due to the carrier and not the active agent. SciPinion assembled a panel of experts in toxicokinetics, genotoxicity, cancer bioassays and cancer weight of evidence to review the literature and weigh in on how 1,3-D should be classified. The panel of experts were in agreement that 1,3-D should be classified as ‘Not Likely to be Carcinogenic to Humans’. US EPA agreed with this assessment and changed their classification of 1,3-D.
Mode of Action and Classification Weight of Evidence Peer Review
SciPinion is currently working with a trade group to conduct a peer review panel to inform a NSRL development for a class of compounds with a seemingly common mode of action. The panel is currently evaluating the evidence, but early indications are that the panel has a high degree of consensus that the class of compounds works via a non-mutagenic mode of action and thus any NSRL, if applicable, should involve a threshold based risk approach. Phase 2 of this project will involve the panel deriving a NSRL based on the findings from Phase 1. The panel weighed in on the potential mode of action (MOA – Figure 2) and the likely cancer classification for the compounds (Figure 3). The findings from this project will be published in the peer reviewed literature and help inform future cancer classification efforts being undertaken by multiple regulatory agencies around the world.
