Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste,
and Pollution

J 2023

Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution

SCHAEFFER, Andreas; Ksenia J. GROH; Gabriel SIGMUND; David AZOULAY; Thomas BACKHAUS et al.

Basic information

Original name

Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution

Authors

Edition

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, WASHINGTON, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2023, 0013-936X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Field of Study

10511 Environmental sciences

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 10.900

Marked to be transferred to RIV

Yes

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/23:00133180

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

Keywords in English

human health; ecosystem health; science-policypanel; conflict of interest

Abstract

In the original language

Pollution by chemicals and waste impacts human and ecosystem health on regional, national, and global scales, resulting, together with climate change and biodiversity loss, in a triple planetary crisis. Consequently, in 2022, countries agreed to establish an intergovernmental science-policy panel (SPP) on chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention, complementary to the existing intergovernmental science-policy bodies on climate change and biodiversity. To ensure the SPP's success, it is imperative to protect it from conflicts of interest (COI). Here, we (i) define and review the implications of COI, and its relevance for the management of chemicals, waste, and pollution; (ii) summarize established tactics to manufacture doubt in favor of vested interests, i.e., to counter scientific evidence and/or to promote misleading narratives favorable to financial interests; and (iii) illustrate these with selected examples. This analysis leads to a review of arguments for and against chemical industry representation in the SPP's work. We further (iv) rebut an assertion voiced by some that the chemical industry should be directly involved in the panel's work because it possesses data on chemicals essential for the panel's activities. Finally, (v) we present steps that should be taken to prevent the detrimental impacts of COI in the work of the SPP. In particular, we propose to include an independent auditor's role in the SPP to ensure that participation and processes follow clear COI rules. Among others, the auditor should evaluate the content of the assessments produced to ensure unbiased representation of information that underpins the SPP's activities.

Cite

SCHAEFFER, Andreas; Ksenia J. GROH; Gabriel SIGMUND; David AZOULAY; Thomas BACKHAUS; Michael G. BERTRAM; Bethanie Carney ALMROTH; Ian T. COUSINS; Alex T. FORD; Joan O. GRIMALT; Yago GUIDA; Maria C. HANSSON; Yunsun JEONG; Rainer LOHMANN; David MICHAELS; Leonie MUELLER; Jane MUNCKE; Gunilla OBERG; Marcos A. ORELLANA; Edmond SANGANYADO; Ralf Bernhard SCHAEFER; Ishmail SHERIFF; Ryan C. SULLIVAN; Noriyuki SUZUKI; Laura N. VANDENBERG; Marta VENIER; Penny VLAHOS; Martin WAGNER; Fang WANG; Mengjiao WANG; Anna SOEHL; Marlene AGERSTRAND; Miriam L. DIAMOND and Martin SCHERINGER. Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY. WASHINGTON: AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2023, vol. 57, No 48, p. 19066-19077. ISSN 0013-936X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c04213.

@article{2364921,
   author = {Schaeffer, Andreas and Groh, Ksenia J. and Sigmund, Gabriel and Azoulay, David and Backhaus, Thomas and Bertram, Michael G. and Almroth, Bethanie Carney and Cousins, Ian T. and Ford, Alex T. and Grimalt, Joan O. and Guida, Yago and Hansson, Maria C. and Jeong, Yunsun and Lohmann, Rainer and Michaels, David and Mueller, Leonie and Muncke, Jane and Oberg, Gunilla and Orellana, Marcos A. and Sanganyado, Edmond and Schaefer, Ralf Bernhard and Sheriff, Ishmail and Sullivan, Ryan C. and Suzuki, Noriyuki and Vandenberg, Laura N. and Venier, Marta and Vlahos, Penny and Wagner, Martin and Wang, Fang and Wang, Mengjiao and Soehl, Anna and Agerstrand, Marlene and Diamond, Miriam L. and Scheringer, Martin},
   article_location = {WASHINGTON},
   article_number = {48},
   doi = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c04213},
   keywords = {human health; ecosystem health; science-policypanel; conflict of interest},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0013-936X},
   journal = {ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY},
   title = {Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution},
   url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c04213},
   volume = {57},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2364921
AU  - Schaeffer, Andreas - Groh, Ksenia J. - Sigmund, Gabriel - Azoulay, David - Backhaus, Thomas - Bertram, Michael G. - Almroth, Bethanie Carney - Cousins, Ian T. - Ford, Alex T. - Grimalt, Joan O. - Guida, Yago - Hansson, Maria C. - Jeong, Yunsun - Lohmann, Rainer - Michaels, David - Mueller, Leonie - Muncke, Jane - Oberg, Gunilla - Orellana, Marcos A. - Sanganyado, Edmond - Schaefer, Ralf Bernhard - Sheriff, Ishmail - Sullivan, Ryan C. - Suzuki, Noriyuki - Vandenberg, Laura N. - Venier, Marta - Vlahos, Penny - Wagner, Martin - Wang, Fang - Wang, Mengjiao - Soehl, Anna - Agerstrand, Marlene - Diamond, Miriam L. - Scheringer, Martin
PY  - 2023
TI  - Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution
JF  - ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
VL  - 57
IS  - 48
SP  - 19066-19077
EP  - 19066-19077
PB  - AMER CHEMICAL SOC
SN  - 0013936X
KW  - human health
KW  - ecosystem health
KW  - science-policypanel
KW  - conflict of interest
UR  - https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c04213
N2  - Pollution by chemicals and waste impacts human and ecosystem health on regional, national, and global scales, resulting, together with climate change and biodiversity loss, in a triple planetary crisis. Consequently, in 2022, countries agreed to establish an intergovernmental science-policy panel (SPP) on chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention, complementary to the existing intergovernmental science-policy bodies on climate change and biodiversity. To ensure the SPP's success, it is imperative to protect it from conflicts of interest (COI). Here, we (i) define and review the implications of COI, and its relevance for the management of chemicals, waste, and pollution; (ii) summarize established tactics to manufacture doubt in favor of vested interests, i.e., to counter scientific evidence and/or to promote misleading narratives favorable to financial interests; and (iii) illustrate these with selected examples. This analysis leads to a review of arguments for and against chemical industry representation in the SPP's work. We further (iv) rebut an assertion voiced by some that the chemical industry should be directly involved in the panel's work because it possesses data on chemicals essential for the panel's activities. Finally, (v) we present steps that should be taken to prevent the detrimental impacts of COI in the work of the SPP. In particular, we propose to include an independent auditor's role in the SPP to ensure that participation and processes follow clear COI rules. Among others, the auditor should evaluate the content of the assessments produced to ensure unbiased representation of information that underpins the SPP's activities.
ER  -

SCHAEFFER, Andreas; Ksenia J. GROH; Gabriel SIGMUND; David AZOULAY; Thomas BACKHAUS; Michael G. BERTRAM; Bethanie Carney ALMROTH; Ian T. COUSINS; Alex T. FORD; Joan O. GRIMALT; Yago GUIDA; Maria C. HANSSON; Yunsun JEONG; Rainer LOHMANN; David MICHAELS; Leonie MUELLER; Jane MUNCKE; Gunilla OBERG; Marcos A. ORELLANA; Edmond SANGANYADO; Ralf Bernhard SCHAEFER; Ishmail SHERIFF; Ryan C. SULLIVAN; Noriyuki SUZUKI; Laura N. VANDENBERG; Marta VENIER; Penny VLAHOS; Martin WAGNER; Fang WANG; Mengjiao WANG; Anna SOEHL; Marlene AGERSTRAND; Miriam L. DIAMOND and Martin SCHERINGER. Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution. \textit{ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE \&{}amp; TECHNOLOGY}. WASHINGTON: AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2023, vol.~57, No~48, p.~19066-19077. ISSN~0013-936X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c04213.

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