needed to be cleaned were based on ATSDR
have been filled, and agency programs are
recommendations.
currently addressing 117.
The Illinois Department of Public Health
ATSDR's toxicologic research provides critical
evaluated mercury sampling data after cleanup
information to public health decision makers
and issued letters to residents to let them know
about the health effects of hazardous sub-
when their homes were safe for occupancy. The
stances. One important project in the past year
state health department also sponsored a hot
concerned the effects of aluminum used in
vaccines. Aluminum is used in certain vaccines
information to the public. To date, nearly 1,000
to increase immunologic response to make the
residences have been found to be contaminated.
vaccine more effective. In fiscal year 2000,
The Pediatric Environmental Specialty Unit in
ATSDR developed a pharmacokinetic model
Chicago--the Center for Environmental
for aluminum that provided convincing evi-
Health--provided medical information to local
dence that using aluminum compounds in
physicians, laboratories, residents, and the
childhood vaccines is safe. Both CDC and the
media, among others.
World Health Organization used the ATSDR
assessment to recommend continued use of
aluminum in childhood vaccines.
Evaluating Relationships
ATSDR provides information about the rela-
Between Hazardous
tionship between hazardous substances and
Substances and Health:
health outcomes by developing toxicological
profiles. ATSDR's toxicological profiles
Toxicologic Research
summarize information about many of the most
One of the ways ATSDR evaluates the relation-
hazardous substances found at Superfund sites.
ships between hazardous substances in the
As of fiscal year 2000, ATSDR has published
environment and human health outcomes is
152 toxicological profiles covering nearly 800
through toxicologic research. ATSDR's toxico-
substances.
logic research program is filling many data
gaps about how hazardous substances affect
Evaluating Relationships
human health. ATSDR oversees two major
research programs designed to help fill these
Between Hazardous Substances
data gaps--the ATSDR Great Lakes Human
and Health: Conducting
Health Effects Research Program and the
ATSDR Minority Health Professions Foundation
Health Studies
Research Program.
ATSDR conducts and supports health studies to
evaluate the relationship between exposure to
Data gaps for some hazardous substances have
hazardous substances and adverse health
also been filled through the agency's program
effects. ATSDR also conducts studies to
in which industry voluntarily agrees to conduct
evaluate how people become exposed to
needed research and through the industry
hazardous substances. In fiscal year 2000,
testing required by the Toxic Substances
ATSDR completed five health studies with
Control Act. Through fiscal year 2000, ATSDR
has identified 201 priority data needs for 50
substances and health. ATSDR also continued
hazardous substances. Of these, 53 data needs
2 Executive Summary
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