Document Ra5xjkxm4xjdO0ez6Y6JvexDE

1 BENEFITS OF UPDATING INTER-INDUSTRY STUDY OF VINYL CHLORIDE WORKERS Product Stewardship - Demonstrates to workers, community residents, customers, and other audiences our collective commitment to characterize cancer risks associated with employment in VCM/PVC processes. Scientific Knowledge - Refines the estimate of the number of cases of human angiosarcoma of the liver (ASL) associated with operating VCM/PVC plants in the pre-1972 era in North America. - Provides basis for refining human cancer risk assessments which are used by government agencies for permitting facilities, etc. - Contributes ASL cases to the international registry. - Helps to resolve unanswered questions about alleged links to cancers of the brain, lung, and hematopoeitic system as well as address noncancer causes of death such as emphysema. Litigation Defense - VCM/PVC manufacturers continue to face toxic tort litigation alleging that numerous other types (non-ASL) of cancer are related to VCM/PVC employment. This type of research is useful in defending such litigation. CMA 116579 I INTER-INDUSTRY STUDY OF VINYL CHLORIDE WORKERS (cont.) Chlorine Issue - VCM/PVC continue to be a part of the general debate on health and environmental impacts of chlorinated organics. This type of research serves a valuable role in helping to debate the issues on the basis of good science. GGB 3/15/94 CMA 116580 Vinyl Chloride Research Coordinators Potential Study Parameters The following parameters will be considered in the design of the study. Research areas may include: define when exposures changed radically, '72-'76; opportunity to quantify exposures for potency estimates/validate animal modeling data; cancer experience - incidence and mortality; lung functions and symptomatology; clues from update of pre-'72 cohort; reasonableness of 1 ppm exposure std. PEL; DNA adduct formation; reproductive health/birth defects; exposure to phthalates or plasticizers - other materials associated with compounding; serum dioxin/HCB analysis; estrogenicity - sperm count; short-term vs. long-term exposure and peak vs. sustained exposures; questions about EDC carcinogenicity or other end-points; and, medical surveillance - liver functions, neurotoxicology. CMA 116581