The Center for Truth in Science has selected Cardno ChemRisk to receive its inaugural research grant to complete a systematic analysis of the methodologies and results of the research studies on the toxicity and carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide, including those that have been most frequently cited in risk assessment, public policymaking, and judicial decision-making.

Cardno ChemRisk is a scientific consulting firm that specializes in risk assessment, particularly health and environmental risk associated with chemical, consumer product and pharmaceutical exposures.

The team of ChemRisk scientists, led by Heather Lynch, MPH, will perform a robust and transparent critical review of the existing literature on ethylene oxide, with a strong focus on the quality assessment of each primary study. The team will identify specific strengths and limitations of the existing body of work, identify critical evidentiary gaps and outline key regulatory and decision-making implications of their findings.

“We are honored to receive the grant from the Center for Truth in Science to conduct an independent systematic review of the scientific evidence on the carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide,” said Heather Lynch, MPH, Supervising Health Scientist and Project Manager at Cardno ChemRisk. “We hope that our thorough, independent systematic review using the most up-to-date methods for the critical evaluation and integration of scientific evidence will assist policy makers, regulators, and the public with understanding the current state of the science on ethylene oxide.”

“The Center is proud to award this grant to such talented researchers to help untangle the misinformation surrounding critical scientific questions about the use of ethylene oxide now being played out in regulatory forums and courtrooms across the country,” said Joseph Annotti, president and CEO of the Center for Truth in Science. “As a result of the extensive use of ethylene oxide to sterilize medical devices and PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an increased concern about exposure to the chemical and its impact on human health.    We are hoping that our research can clear up these confusing and sometime conflicting scientific claims for consumers and provide regulators the information they need to formulate the best possible public policy decisions.”

More information regarding this grant award can be found here.