Report on carcinogens—History and process

Abstract

The Report on Carcinogens (RoC) is prepared in response to section 301 of the U.S. Public Health Service Act, as amended. This law stipulates that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) shall publish a report which contains a list of all substances (i) which either are known to be human carcinogens or may reasonably be anticipated to be human carcinogens; and (ii) to which a significant number of persons residing in the United States are exposed. The Secretary of DHHS has delegated responsibility for preparation of the Report to the Director of the National Toxicology Program (NTP). The RoC is prepared by the NTP with the assistance of other U.S. Federal health research and regulatory agencies and non-government institutions. The Report is not intended to constitute a risk assessment; it is a hazard identification document only. The most recent RoC, the 11th Edition, was released on January 31, 2005. The history of and process for the review of nominations for the 11th RoC will be discussed.