Scientific Advisory Group

Committees, working parties, and scientific advisory groups... 

Member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Britain (1995-present) Member, Executive Board of Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Arzte (GDNA, German Society of Natural Scientists and Physicians) (1995-2000). 

ECVAM as part of the JRC fulfills the task to validate alternative methods. Its advisory group ES AC advises ECVAM scientifically and gives expert judgment on the different proposed non-animal tests. 

A report by a scientific advisory panel to Health Canada is one of the most extensive to analyse the possible health risks from di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a plasticiser used to soften PVC medical products such as bags and tubing. This article gives details of the report, which has concluded that DEHP does pose health risks for some critical groups. 

Jean-Marc Sabatier has a Ph.D. and HDR in biochemistry. He is the director of research at the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). He heads a research laboratory (ERT 62) entided Engineering of Therapeutic Peptides at the Universite de la Mediterranee, in Marseilles, France. He also holds the position of a senior director (discovery research — peptides) for a public company in Canada. Dr. Sabatier works in the field of animal toxins, and leads the venom peptide group of the International Neuropeptide Society. He also designs immunomodulatory and antiviral drugs, as well as contributes to the field of peptide and protein engineering. He has contributed more than 100 scientific articles, 180 communications, and 43 patents. He is a member of several scientific advisory boards of journals (e.g.. Peptides, Biochemical Journal), and has reviewed articles submitted for publication in more than 30 specialized international journals. 

Progress in controlling marine pollution has been impeded by the difficulty of defining it. Two international advisory groups (the United Nations Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution and the International Commission for Exploration of the Sea) have adopted the following definition ... 

The NTP is located administratively at the NIEHS/NIH and receives advice on its activities from three external groups The NTP Executive Committee, the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors, and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods. The NTP also uses special emphasis panels for independent scientific peer review and advice on targeted issues. 

Canada, H. (2004) Draft Recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Panel Sub-groups on Hepatotoxicity Hepatotoxicity of Health Products. 

When proposing an MRL, the Rapporteur Member State (RMS) identifies the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) for man that is valid for the pesticide in question. The ADI thus identified is often the same as that recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Meetings on Pesticide Residues (JMPR), whose recommendations on ADIs and MRLs are used within the Codex Alimentarius system. If the ADI proposed by the RMS is not that recommended by JMPR, the RMS has to provide an explanation for the difference. The other Member States comment on the RMS proposal at meetings of the Working Group on Pesticide Residues. If the Member States cannot reach agreement on the evaluation, the matter is referred to one or more of the Commission s scientific advisory committees. Prior to autumn 1997, such questions were referred to the Scientific Committee for Pesticides, but since then they have been referred to the Scientific Committee on Plants. 

The definitions and criteria that determine whether a chemical falls within the scope of the CWC or not, leaves a large number of chemicals in the gray area. One example of a group of chemicals that are excluded from the OCAD on the basis of purposes not prohibited under this Convention , is given by the Riot Control Agents . There are other examples, which need to be addressed in the future to determine how they can be regulated by the CWC as these have been seen to be very useful in the verification activities of the OPCW. Efforts are underway to find a way for the inclusion in the OCAD, of chemicals that are relevant to the CWC but are not covered by the schedule list (Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and Validation Group (VG)). 

Dr. Mesilaakso is currently Acting Director of the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFTN former CW Project) at the University of Helsinki. Before this, he worked at VERIFIN as a Research Scientist, Quality Manager and Research Director. He is a member of the Finnish National Authority of the CWC, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Defense of Finland, and a member of the OPCW Validation Group for data evaluation to the OPCW Central Analytical Database. 

Professor Berry is a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Spinal Research Trust, Scientific Advisory Panel of the Brain Research Tmst, Chairman of the Neuroscience Centre at UMDS in London, Editorial Board of the Journal of Neurocytology, and the Core Advisory Group for the Royal College of Surgeons. 

If the notification raises complex or controversial scientific questions, OPP provides the notification package and its scientific position to a group of independent scientists constituted as a subpanel of OPP s Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP). Separate subpanels may be formed to review each proposal since each microorganism and its proposed use may differ and raise questions that require the analysis of itdividuals with different expertise. The purpose of the SAP subpanel is to obtain an independent peer review of the OPP scientific position, to address specific scientific questions raised by OPP, and to identify any additional points, questions or problems. 

The need for plamiing on this project has been pointed out by other groups and individuals. For example, the Mayor s Scientific Advisory Panel has staled, The panel concludes that further steps (e.g., data collection and analysis) are necessary to provide sufficient information for a more complete understanding of environmental and health conditions in the Spring Valley community. Indeed, one of their specific recommendations is that, the District of Columbia Department of Health should develop a comprehensive plan. Of course, the panel was focused primarily on the health concerns, not on the rudiments of finding live ordnance. Nevertheless, their wisdom can be extrapolated to other AUES needs. 

---