HSRB Meeting to Review EPA Ethical Issues
On April 13-14, 2011, the Human Studies Review Board will meet to advise the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on EPA's scientific and ethical reviews of research with human subjects. This meeting is open to the public. It will be held from approximately 8:30 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m. Eastern Time. It will be held at the Holiday Inn National Airport, 2650 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. Public seating at the meeting will be on a first-come basis. Written public comments should be submitted prior to the meeting. Oral comments may be made by the public at the meeting.

The major objectives of the HSRB are to provide advice and recommendations on: (1) Research proposals and protocols; (2) reports of completed research with human subjects; and (3) how to strengthen EPA's programs for protection of human subjects of research. The HSRB reports to the EPA Administrator through EPA's Science Advisor.

The HSRB will discuss the following topics at its meeting:

"a. The report of a completed scenario monograph and study reports from the Agricultural Handler Exposure Task Force (AHETF) measuring the dermal and inhalation exposure of professional agricultural workers applying liquid spray pesticides to tree or trellis crops using open cab airblast equipment.

b. The report of a completed scenario monograph and study report from the Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II (AEATF) in which the dermal and inhalation exposure of professional janitorial workers was monitored as they applied a liquid antimicrobial product to indoor surfaces using a trigger spray bottle and wipes or ready-to-use wipes.

c. A published report by Gulson et al (2010) of an intentional exposure human study measuring dermal absorption of zinc oxides contained in sunscreen.

d. A reevaluation of an intentional human dosing study with chlorpyrifos (Kisicki) previously reviewed by the HSRB; pertinent new information from the sponsor has been made available."