Quantification of health impacts in EU chemical policy evaluations : an analysis of methods used with a focus on epidemiological evidence

Evaluating the effectiveness of EU legislation requires the identification of significant impacts across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Quantifying health impacts, typically through environmental burden of disease indicators, is crucial. However, assessing health impacts of chemicals, and thus the benefits of chemicals legislation in avoiding such impacts, poses significant challenges due to complex, multi-factorial causes of disease and long-term, low-concentration exposures. This study examines how health impacts have been quantified in studies supporting recent evaluations and impact assessments of the EU chemicals policy, focusing on the use of epidemiological evidence. The report highlights methodological strengths and weaknesses, key aspects for quality and reporting, and provides recommendations for gathering, reporting, and evaluating epidemiological evidence. Greater standardisation and increased transparency in these analyses will enhance quality and efficiency of these evaluations for better informed policy-making at the EU level.