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Process for Developing IRIS Health Assessments
IRIS Process Diagram—2009 Update (PDF) (1 pg, 68 K)
In May 2009, EPA announced a revised process for developing IRIS health assessments in a memo from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Highlights of the 2009 IRIS process include a streamlined review schedule to ensure that most assessments would be posted on IRIS within two years of the start date. Additionally, all written comments from other federal agencies and White House offices were to be made public, improving the transparency of the process.
The process for developing an IRIS assessment consists of:
- comprehensive search of the current scientific literature, a data call-in, and development of a draft IRIS health assessment;
- internal EPA-wide review;
- science consultation on the draft assessment with other Federal agencies and White House offices;
- independent expert peer review, public review and comment, and public listening session;
- revision of the assessment to address peer review and public comments;
- internal EPA-wide review and interagency science discussion; and
- clearance and posting of the final assessment on IRIS.
See diagram to right for additional details and the specific steps in the IRIS process.
IRIS Improvements:
Recent developments in the IRIS Program include:
- [11/12] EPA held a public stakeholders meeting and webinar to solicit comments on the assessment development process and the IRIS Program in general.
- [06/12] EPA submitted a report to Congress on its progress in making improvements to the IRIS Program to address recommendations from the National Research Council (NRC).
- [07/11] EPA announced improvements to the IRIS Program, made in response to recommendations from the National Research Council, in a July 12, 2011 Press Release.
History of the IRIS process for developing assessments
- 2008 IRIS Process for Developing IRIS Assessments -
In 2008, the IRIS process consisted of developing a draft Toxicological Review for the chemical, conducting internal and external scientific reviews of the draft document, responding to review comments, and developing and posting on the IRIS website an IRIS Summary and final Toxicological Review. Additionally, new steps in the process included increased participation by other federal agencies and the public in developing the Toxicological Review and opportunities for other federal agencies to conduct research to fill data gaps. For additional information refer to the 2008 IRIS process.
- 2004-2008 IRIS Process for Developing IRIS Assessments
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From 2004 to 2008, the IRIS process consisted of developing a draft Toxicological Review for the chemical, conducting internal and external scientific reviews of the draft document, responding to review comments, and developing and posting on the IRIS website an IRIS Summary and final Toxicological Review. Additionally, new steps in the process included increased participation by other federal agencies and the public in developing the Toxicological Review and opportunities for other federal agencies to conduct research to fill data gaps. For additional information refer to the 2004-2008 IRIS process.
- Pre-2004 IRIS Process for Developing IRIS Assessments
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Before 2004, the IRIS process consisted of developing a draft Toxicological Review for the chemical, conducting internal and external scientific reviews of the draft document, responding to review comments, and developing and posting the final assessment on the IRIS website. For additional information refer to the Pre-2004 IRIS process.