CIIT: Reducing Uncertainty in Assessing Risks of Chemical Exposures. R. O. McClellan, Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
The Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology (CIIT) was founded in 1974 by 11 major chemical companies for the purpose of developing an improved scientific basis for assessing the potential human health risks of exposure to chemicals. The founders decided that their objectives could be best achieved through the efforts of a full-time, multidisciplinary staff of scientists and supporting personnel directly employed by the Institute and working in a modern laboratory facility. The laboratory was constructed in Research Triangle Park, NC, near three premier research universities, two major government biomedical laboratories, and numerous private research organizations. A Board of Directors, which includes representatives of all member companies and independent scientists, provides vision, establishes policy, and provides oversight for Institute activities. The Institute is funded principally by dues payments from some 40 member companies, which are supplemented by funds from trade associations, private companies, and the federal government. The research agenda of the Institute is established in an interactive manner by Institute staff and the Board of Directors. Responsibility for the conduct of research, interpretation of findings, and the publication of results is vested with Institute staff. All research findings are published in a timely manner and distributed to all interested parties without respect to their association with the Institute. A substantial educational program is carried out as an integral part of Institute research operations. Participants in the educational program include postdoctoral fellows, visiting scientists, graduate students, and student interns. During its two decades of operation, CIIT has made major contributions to understanding the mechanisms of toxic action of commercially important chemicals and to the use of this knowledge for assessing potential human health risks. The most significant contributions have involved the development of information on specific chemicals that has been used to replace default assumptions otherwise used in risk assessments, thereby reducing the uncertainty in the estimates of human risk. Moreover, these specific cases have frequently had generic applicability to assessing the risks of other chemicals. The success of the CIIT research program in developing information that affects the conduct of risk assessment for chemicals emphasizes the value of directed research activities. These research activities are targeted to reduce uncertainties in risk assessment.