Environmental Health Economic Analysis Annotated Bibliography
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ReviewAuthors
Bond GG, Dietrich DR
Journal
Archives of Toxicology
Summary
This review critically evaluated the methods used in a series of seven published studies that calculated cost estimates of disease burdens, especially IQ and increased prevalence of intellectual disability, from exposures to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the European Union and the U.S. The authors noted a fundamental problem with the cost estimates which assumed causal relationships between putative exposures to EDCs that have not been established through serious consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of the underlying animal toxicology and human epidemiology evidence. The authors concluded that the estimates are so highly speculative that no weight should be ascribed to them in any policy discussions of EDCs.
Population
Reviewed publications that studied European Union and U.S. populations (age not specified)
Health Outcomes
- Multiple
Health Outcome List:
- Reviewed publications that studied neurological outcomes (loss of IQ, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism))
- Metabolic outcomes (childhood obesity, adult obesity, adult diabetes)
- Cancer outcomes (testicular cancer)
- Birth outcomes (cryptorchidism)
- Reproductive outcomes - male (male infertility resulting in increased assisted reproductive technology, low testosterone resulting in increased early mortality)
- Reproductive outcomes – female (fibroids, endometriosis)
Environmental Agents
List of Environmental Agents:
- Reviewed studies that evaluated hormonal mimics (phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA))
- Brominated compounds (polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs))
- Organophosphate pesticides
- Chlorinated compounds (dichloro-diphenyldichloroethylene (DDE))
Source of Environmental Agents:
- Not available
Economic Evaluation / Methods and Source
Type:
- Not available
Cost Measures:
- Not available
Potential Cost Measures:
- Not available
Benefits Measures:
- Not available
Potential Benefits Measures:
- Not available
Location:
- Reviewed publications that studied European Union and United States locations
Models Used:
- Not available
Models References:
- Not available
Methods Used:
- The authors critically reviewed seven publications that calculated environmentally attributable factors and associated societal costs for adverse health outcomes from exposures to endocrine disrupting pollutants. The authors critically evaluated the scientific methodology that was used in analyses leading up to the cost analysis and did not critically evaluate the final cost analysis itself. The authors scrutinized: — 1) the role of the self-selected Steering Committee that played a substantial role in the seven publications; 2) the literature search and selection strategy for the basis of the cost analysis; 3) the methods used to assess animal and human data and the probability of causation; 4) the methods used to determine attributable fraction and exposure-response relationships; 5) sources and use of biomonitoring data; 6) sources and uses of cost data; and 7) the cumulative effect of numerous assumptions inherent in each step of the process.
Sources Used:
- Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the USA: a population-based disease burden and cost analysis (Attina et al., 2016); Neurobehavioral deficits, disease, and associated costs of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the European Union (Bellanger et al., 2015); Male reproductive disorders, disease, and costs of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the European Union (Hauser et al., 2015); Female reproductive disorders, disease, and costs of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in the European Union (Hunt et al., 2016); Obesity, diabetes, and associated costs of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the European Union (Legler et al, 2015); Estimating burden and disease costs of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the European Union (Trasande et al., 2015); Burden of disease and costs of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in the European Union: an updated analysis (Trasande et al., 2016); additional sources cited in publication
Economic Citation / Fundings
Citation:
- Bond GG, Dietrich DR. Human cost burden of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. A critical review. Archives of Toxicology. 2017. 91; 8.
- Pubmed
- DOI
NIEHS Funding:
- Not available
Other Funding:
- Not available