The Third PARC Stakeholder Forum (SF) meeting recently took place in Hall in Tirol, Austria, aiming to foster robust collaboration and communication between stakeholders and the PARC consortium. Stakeholders were invited to raise questions and provide feedback on, for them, highly relevantissues such as next-generation risk assessment (NGRA), assessment on combined exposure to chemicals and the importance of occupational health.

The session also aimed to update participants on PARC’s progress and projects and gather crucial feedback to guide ongoing and future initiatives. 

SF as a PARC cornerstone

The SF is a cornerstone of PARC's strategy, ensuring essential dialogue and collaboration between all parties involved in chemical risk assessment. The SF comprises 15 members, evenly representing key stakeholder groups such as NGOs, industry, and other associations, with specific focus areas including women, workers, patients, health, and the environment. The forum is designed to support PARC’s processes and current advancements in assessing chemical risks to human health and the environment. The meeting was carried out in a hybrid setting, with almost half of the SF members present on site.

The road to alternatives testing methods

A significant portion of the forum focused on the NGRA. Mathias Herzler from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment ↗ presented a roadmap for its implementation across the EU, highlighting guiding principles, work streams, and the collaboration framework with the European Commission. Participants discussed the challenges of moving from traditional animal testing to alternative methods, with both economic and regulatory implications being major points of concern. “The ten guideline principles are essential as they provide a clear framework for transitioning to more ethical and efficient risk assessments”, one forum member highlighted. Another participant added that “Adherence to these principles ensures that our risk assessments are not only scientifically sound but also aligned with regulatory requirements across the EU.”

Combined chemical exposures

There has been a strong call among forum members for comprehensive data on combined exposures. Jacob van Klaveren from the National Institute for Health and Environment of the Netherlands ↗ discussed chemical mixture assessments using human biomonitoring data, announcing upcoming training sessions on this topic. Stakeholders emphasized the need for integrating human biomonitoring data into risk assessments. 
“Without accurate data on chemical mixtures, our risk assessments will always be incomplete”, a stakeholder commented.

Understanding workplace exposures is important

Radu-Corneliu Duca from the Luxembourg National Health Laboratory ↗ provided updates on various occupational health projects, emphasizing their importance in shaping policy and managing workplace exposures. These projects include in-depth studies on chromates, e-waste, and diisocyanates, all of which have substantial implications for worker safety and regulatory standards. “Understanding and mitigating workplace exposures is crucial for developing policies that protect workers' health,” Duca emphasized. This sentiment was echoed by several stakeholders, who acknowledged the necessity of continued research in these areas to ensure safer working environments. Interest in expanding research on occupational exposures was generally high among stakeholders, particularly in high-risk sectors such as aviation.

Interactive tools useful to collect input

Interactive tools (TEDME and Beecast) were used to gather real-time feedback on project progress, challenges, solutions, and training needs. This ensured an effective process and that both on-site and hybrid participants were heard. The use of interactive tools has shown good effects, contributing to collating different points of view and giving the SF an opportunity to address various issues. "The SF members are expected to act as ‘facilitators’, contributing to the interactions and exchanges between the PARC experts and the broad stakeholders’ community, to ensure buy-in of the project’s deliverables", highlighted Vio Verougstraete, SF co-chair. "Participating in the Consortium meeting has been a unique opportunity to get a better grasp of the multiple PARC projects and understand how they work together towards state-of-the-art risk assessments", she added.

Looking ahead, the SF plans to maintain momentum through regular updates, workshops, annual meetings, and collaborative projects. The forum's outcomes will significantly contribute to advancing PARC's goals, ensuring that initiatives are scientifically robust and practically applicable in regulatory contexts.