Federal Partners Kick Off Workshop on Federal Government Human Health PFAS Research with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) kicked off the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)’s Workshop on Federal Government Human Health Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Research. Aggressively addressing PFAS has been an active and ongoing priority for this Administration. This collaborative workshop will help to further coordinate PFAS research across the federal government and is an important part of EPA’s work under its PFAS Action Plan.

“EPA is committed to working with our federal partners and leading scientists around the world to advance cutting-edge research on PFAS,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Aggressively addressing these chemicals of concern is one of my top priorities and this workshop will help our scientists showcase the depth of the research across the federal government.”

“This independent review by the National Academies is an important step to leverage the extensive work ongoing across federal entities and will help determine what further research needs to be conducted in order for us to most effectively continue our PFAS response. As the Chair of DoD’s PFAS Task Force, I will tell you that DoD’s participation in this workshop is part of the Department’s commitment to ensure the health and safety of our men and women in uniform, their families, and the communities in which we serve,” said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment Jordan Gillis.

“USDA supports measures that foster healthy, viable, and sustainable agricultural farming practices,” said Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area Dr. Scott Hutchins. “This multi-agency collaboration and coordination is a critical step in finding workable solutions for our nation’s farmers.”

“Similar to other agencies within the federal family, understanding the health effects of exposures to PFAS continues to be a priority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR),” said Director of CDC and Administrator of ATSDR Robert R. Redfield, MD. “This virtual workshop with the National Academies is a welcomed opportunity to discuss and contribute to the growing body of knowledge on this topic.”

On October 26-27, the virtual public workshop will convene an independent panel of experts who will review federal agency research on human health implications of PFAS and identify potential research and data gaps. The workshop is free for those who wish to attend via webcast. Those who register will also have the opportunity to submit suggested research needs or data gaps for consideration as input to the workshop.

Following the workshop, NASEM will compile a report summarizing the discussion and views of workshop participants on how to ensure that the federal research program for PFAS is robust and focused on addressing the highest priority human health research.