Chemicals are part of everyday life and can have beneficial or harmful effects depending on the dose and exposure conditions. Since Paracelsus (1493–1541), considered the father of toxicology, it has been recognized that "the dose makes the poison a remedy." Today, chemical risk assessment considers factors like age, life stage, nutritional status, preexisting diseases, and simultaneous exposure to multiple substances.
Chemical safety includes all the actions aimed at preventing, reducing, and managing risks to human health and the environment from exposure to hazardous chemicals. This involves strengthening capacities to identify hazards, assess risks, establish control measures, respond to incidents, and communicate risk effectively, in accordance with international regulatory frameworks (WHO).
With methodological developments, the paradigm shift in toxicology involves the transition from a science 'in vivo", evaluating factors related for example, to the lethal dose for animals in laboratory, for a science ' in vitro ' working at the molecular level of key events and processes related to cell responses and the adverse effects on human health and the environment. The integration of “in vivo” and “in vitro” has resulted in the production of extensive knowledge of many of the chemical elements and compounds (Meek et al. 2014).
Chemical Safety is achieved by undertaking all activities involving chemicals in such a way as to ensure the safety of human health and the environment. It covers all chemicals, natural and manufactured, and the full range of exposure situations from the natural presence of chemicals in the environment to their extraction or synthesis, industrial production, transport use and disposal.
Chemical safety has many scientific and technical components. Among these are toxicology, ecotoxicology and the process of chemical risk assessment which requires a detailed knowledge of exposure and of biological effects.
The 2021 data addendum estimates that 2 million lives and 53 million disability-adjusted life-years were lost in 2019 due to exposures to selected chemicals. Nearly half of deaths attributable to chemical exposures in 2019 were due to lead exposure and resulting cardiovascular diseases. The other largest contributors were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from occupational exposure to particulates and cancers from occupational exposure to carcinogens.
In the Region of the Americas, PAHO supports Member States in strengthening chemical safety in the countries of the Region through technical assistance to develop regulatory frameworks, strengthen institutions, and improve technical capacities in assessment, surveillance, analysis, and response. This includes guidance based on WHO guidelines for chemical risk management and for implementing the International Health Regulations (2005).
Likewise, PAHO promotes the development of national capacities for emergency preparedness and response to chemical incidents, risk communication, and timely access to toxicological information. These actions allow countries to take preventive measures, reduce exposures, and protect the health of the most vulnerable populations.
PAHO encourages strengthening technical skills among health service personnel working on chemical safety issues and supports the establishment of toxicology centers in countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.
