Evidential requirements for the regulatory hazard and risk assessment of respiratory sensitisers: methyl methacrylate as an example.

"Declarations Conflict of interestBette Meek, James W. Bridges and Andrew Fasey participated in the Expert Panel as independent experts and declare no competing interests. Bette Meek had contributed to an assessment of MMA under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, but this assessment did not address respiratory sensitisation. James W. Bridges is former Chair of the EU Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and Environment (CSTEE) and of the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENHIR) as well as a former member of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Occupational Limit Advisory Committee (WATCH). Andrew Fasey has never conducted a formal substance evaluation, hazard or risk assessment (or anything comparable) for MMA or published anything on MMA. For their participation in the Expert Panel, Bette Meek, James W. Bridges and Andrew Fasey were entitled to receive an honorarium given by Cefic and the Methacrylates Producers Association, Inc. Ursula G. Sauer, a freelance scientific consultant, was hired by Cefic to take notes during the Expert Panel and to assist in the writing of the manuscript. To support discussions at the Expert Panel meeting, potentially relevant evidence on the respiratory sensitisation potential of MMA was identified to the Panel by Cefic and the Methacrylates Producers Association, Inc. The available evidence included scientific literature, surveillance database cases and case reports that included SIC testing. This evidence was presented to the experts in the form of (1) publications (for the scientific literature), (2) overview Excel spreadsheets (both without and with interpretative overview) and (3) written summaries. Panel members verified the content of critical references and identified additional relevant data through independent searching. While Cefic and the Methacrylate Producers Association, Inc., co-sponsored and funded this project, neither group influenced the conclusions reached by the Panel or the contents of this manuscript that solely reflect the discussion, views and conclusions of the authors. Conflict of interest Bette Meek, James W. Bridges and Andrew Fasey participated in the Expert Panel as independent experts and declare no competing interests. Bette Meek had contributed to an assessment of MMA under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, but this assessment did not address respiratory sensitisation. James W. Bridges is former Chair of the EU Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and Environment (CSTEE) and of the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENHIR) as well as a former member of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Occupational Limit Advisory Committee (WATCH). Andrew Fasey has never conducted a formal substance evaluation, hazard or risk assessment (or anything comparable) for MMA or published anything on MMA. For their participation in the Expert Panel, Bette Meek, James W. Bridges and Andrew Fasey were entitled to receive an honorarium given by Cefic and the Methacrylates Producers Association, Inc. Ursula G. Sauer, a freelance scientific consultant, was hired by Cefic to take notes during the Expert Panel and to assist in the writing of the manuscript. To support discussions at the Expert Panel meeting, potentially relevant evidence on the respiratory sensitisation potential of MMA was identified to the Panel by Cefic and the Methacrylates Producers Association, Inc. The available evidence included scientific literature, surveillance database cases and case reports that included SIC testing. This evidence was presented to the experts in the form of (1) publications (for the scientific literature), (2) overview Excel spreadsheets (both without and with interpretative overview) and (3) written summaries. Panel members verified the content of critical references and identified additional relevant data through independent searching. While Cefic and the Methacrylate Producers Association, Inc., co-sponsored and funded this project, neither group influenced the conclusions reached by the Panel or the contents of this manuscript that solely reflect the discussion, views and conclusions of the authors."

"Funding European Chemical Industry Council and Methacrylates Producers Association, Inc. For their participation in the Expert Panel, Bette Meek, James W. Bridges and Andrew Fasey were entitled to receive an honorarium given by Cefic and the Methacrylates Producers Association, Inc. Ursula G. Sauer, a freelance scientific consultant, was hired by Cefic to take notes during the Expert Panel and to assist in the writing of the manuscript."