REGULATORY TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 27, 1 (1998)ARTICLE NO. RT981206

EDITORIAL

How Do You Read RTP?

In an emergency one may ask, ‘‘Do you read me?’’ While in this journal weare often involved in hazard assessments, it is fortunate that most of the papersaddress only complicated scientific data and the legal aspects of regulatorydecisions.

Recently there has been a growing debate about the source and quality ofscientific data used in making regulatory decisions. The most frequent objec-tion of reviewers of our manuscripts for publication is ‘‘The data do not supportthe regulatory conclusions drawn.’’ It may be true that single opinions may ormay not be confirmed by subsequent studies. However, this could be justifica-tion for multiple reviewers.

It is certainly desirable that for some people regulatory decisions may beinfluenced or perceived by reading scientific journals, especially RTP. We allrecognize that the entire scientific community has become more and morespecialized and as a result scientific generalization is rare.

Now we have extremely complicated scientific topics debated in the courts,which appear to work as judge and jury. In addition, environmental regulationshave been cited as a prime example of how political pressure may be the sourceof the poor quality of the science of some proposed regulations. However, it isnoteworthy that the United States is not alone in this respect and similarconcerns have been reported in other countries.

Our latest food safety departure comes from the FDA proposing irradiationas a way to reduce disease-causing microbes. It is a remarkable fact that thisconcept has been studied in extenso for many years, and there is major evidencesuggesting that it is a safe way to prepare wholesome food. This is now becom-ing the goal of food safety education. A comprehensive report is in preparationfor publication in this journal.

The International Food Information Council believes it is good to describethe health benefits of ‘‘functional foods.’’ These are foods that provide certainhealth benefits in addition to basic nutrition. For example, the FDA hasgranted the claim that the fiber in oats may reduce the risk of heart disease.We now recognize that some foods serve as ‘‘antioxidants’’ that have beendemonstrated to have some health benefits.

Now, in industry we have ‘‘Responsible Care,’’ a comprehensive program thatis entirely voluntary for members of the industry’s Chemical ManufacturersAssociation and government. It is a recent general plan but already we canpoint to industry’s reduced release of ‘‘toxic’’ chemicals. Now, do you readme? Alan R. Hirsig, Chairman of the Board of the Chemical ManufacturersAssociation and Chief Executive Officer of ARCO Chemical Company, calls thisa win/win plan that indeed is creating an entirely new vision for environmentalhealth and safety.

C. Jelleff Carr, Ph.D.Editor

1 0273-2300/98 $25.00Copyright q 1998 by Academic Press

All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.

AID RTP 1206 / 6e18$$$381 05-12-98 06:24:02 rtpa AP: RTP