Peer Review and Consultation Services

Engaging outside experts to review risk assessments and methods can help insure high quality and scientifically defensible work products and results. Government agencies, non-profits, and industry all recognize the value added by expert peer review. The Risk Science Center is a world leader in providing independent expert review for all types of risk assessment documents and activities. We offer a variety of opportunities and services to engage expert peers, including in-person panel meetings, webcasts and webinars; letter reviews; workshops to develop risk values or methods; and in-house technical reviews.

For more information, contact Jacqueline Patterson (Jacqueline.patterson@uc.edu; 513-558-1908)

Recent Projects

Ethylene Oxide Letter Peer Review for TCEQ

For the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the Risk Science Center organized an independent peer review of TCEQ’s Ethylene Oxide Carcinogenic Dose-Response Assessment Development Support Document (DSD). The Toxicology, Risk Assessment, and Research Division of TCEQ conducted a systematic review and dose-response assessment of ethylene oxide (EtO) carcinogenicity and prepared the carcinogenicity assessment. TCEQ assessments and toxicity values are used in the evaluation of air permit applications and ambient air data. A draft DSD was issued by TCEQ in June of 2019 for public comment. TCEQ considered the public comments, revised the DSD, and prepared a response to public comments document. The revised DSD and response to public comments were the subject of this peer review.

RSC selected a group of six peer reviewers with expertise in epidemiology, toxicology, cancer dose response modeling, risk assessment, and mode of action to review the TCEQ documents. The purpose of the peer review was to provide TCEQ with expert opinions on the TCEQ inhalation cancer unit risk factor (URF) for ethylene oxide, in order to determine if it is scientifically adequate and appropriate for estimating cancer risk at ambient (low-level) concentrations. The experts reviewed the TCEQ documents and key references in early 2020 and the reviewers provided written comments to RSC that have been collated into the final peer review report.

• Final Peer Review Report (PDF, dated 4/30/2020)
• List of Expert Reviewers and Biographical Sketches (PDF)
• Charge to Peer Reviewers (PDF)
• Documents reviewed by experts - Revised DSD and Response to Public Comments (PDF, both dated 1/31/2020)

TCEQ has reviewed and addressed the expert peer reviewer comments and issued their final EtO DSD (PDF, dated 5/15/2020) and EtO DSD External Peer Review Response to Comments (PDF, dated 5/15/2020).