Science in Risk Assessment and Policy

SciRAP (Science in Risk Assessment and Policy) is a web-based reporting and evaluation resource developed to facilitate and increase the use of academic toxicity and ecotoxicity studies in regulatory assessment of chemicals. The intention is to bridge the gap between academic research and chemicals regulation and policy.

Why is this important? There is overall a need to increase structure and transparency in the evaluation of (eco)toxicity studies for regulatory risk assessment of chemicals. Further, academic research studies are often given little weight as evidence in risk assessment. One reason is that they are considered insufficiently reported for regulatory purposes.

Intended use? The SciRAP resource is intended for regulators and risk assessors as well as researchers, reviewers and editors. SciRAP provides criteria for the evaluation of reliability and relevance of studies intended for regulators and risk assessors. The reporting guidelines are intended as a tool for researchers in the design, performance, and reporting of studies. The criteria presented here can also be used as a template in the review process for scientific publication to increase the reliability and reproducibility of studies.

SciRAP is a collaboration between the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, and the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM), Karolinska Institutet. Please contact us if you have questions or comments.

News!

17 May, 2018: Read this interview with Dr Marlene Ågerstrand in the ECHA newsletter!

The SciRAP tool for evaluating in vitro studies is now online! Please contact us if you are interested in participating in the expert assessment of the in vitro tool. anna.beronius@ki.se

Recent publications: 

Beronius A, Molander L, Zilliacus J, Rudén C, Hanberg A. 2018. Testing and refining the Science in Risk Assessment and Policy (SciRAP) web-based platform for evaluating the reliability and relevance of in vivo toxicity studies. J Appl Toxicol. 1-11. 

Ågerstrand et al. 2018. A call for action: Improve reporting of research studies to increase the scientific basis for regulatory decision‐making. J Appl Toxicol. 1–3.

Ågerstrand M, Brenig M, Führ M, Schente J. 2017. Refining tools to bridge the gap between academia and chemical regulation: perspectives for WikiREACH. Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 19, 1466-1473.

Beronius A, and Ågerstrand M. 2017. Making the most of expert judgment in hazard and risk assessment of chemicals. Toxicology Research 6:571-577.