Request for Proposals for Synthesis Research Health Protection Regulations in a Changing World: Children's Vulnerabilities to Environmental Exposure (RFP017)
Funding and General Information
Deadline for applications: January 14, 2004
Up to $500,000 has been set aside in this competition. Maximum
funds per project: $200,000.
Funding is expected to begin in September 2004. Projects
must be completed and a final report submitted within 18 months.
Health Canada is seeking research projects that will:
- Review legislation, regulations, standards, guidelines and
other instruments (hereafter referred to as governance instruments)
that take into account children's vulnerabilities to environmental
exposure, either separately or as part of instruments applied
to the general population, from jurisdictions such as provinces,
territories and other OECD countries without being restricted
to English or French sources.
- Identify practical experiences in the implementation of governance
instruments from published literature, grey literature and knowledgeable
experts in the field.
All projects must:
- Identify, review, analyse and appraise the best available existing
knowledge on governance instruments that take into account children's
vulnerabilities from environmental hazards;
- Relate directly to Health Canada's mandate and its role in
policy and implementation; and
- State the policy implications of the evidence studied in relation
to developing and implementing governance instruments to protect
children from environmental hazards.
SCOPE OF COMPETITION
Objective
The goal of the proposed research is to provide international
evidence and information on policy options to improve protection
of the health of children from environmental hazards. The results
of this research will assist Health Canada in its legislative renewal
role of adapting to change in the regulatory environment. More
specifically, this research will assist policy makers working on:
- the review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act,1999;
and
- the implementation of the proposed Canada Health Protection
Act.
Background
There has been a strong focus in the scientific literature in
recent years on the health effects of environmental exposures that
occur early in life and, in particular, during windows of vulnerability
when children may be particularly sensitive to deleterious effects.
There is also increasing evidence that child health is a determinant
of adult health.
The physical environment, which includes the natural and built
environment, is an important determinant of children's health and
well-being. Children are at greater risk from some environmental
hazards than adults because of their physical size, immature organs,
physiology, behavior, natural curiosity and lack of knowledge.1 Furthermore,
pregnant women are exposed to environmental hazards in their workplace,
home and community which could also affect fetal and ultimately
child health.
In 1997, the G8 Environment Ministers acknowledged the significant
threats to children's health from environmental hazards throughout
the world and committed to working together to address these issues.
In 2001, these same Ministers committed to "develop policies
and implement actions to provide children with a safe environment,
including during prenatal and postnatal development" (UNEP,
UNICEF, WHO, 2002). The jurisdictions represented by the G8 Environment
Ministers have used a number of strategies to implement this commitment.
The Speech from the Throne (SFT)
in 2001 committed the government to develop "appropriate standards
that reflect the special vulnerabilities of children"(Governor
General of Canada, 2001). In 2002, the SFT indicated that the health
of children depends on a healthy environment and committed the
government to "reintroduce pesticides legislation to protect
the health of Canadians, particularly children" (Governor
General of Canada, 2002). Revised pesticide legislation was approved
in December 2002 which specifically considers, when assessing risks,
the potential effects of a pesticide on pregnant women, infants,
and children.
Over the next few years, Health Canada will be engaged in two
key health protection legislation initiatives: (1) the review of
the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (1999); and (2)
consultations on proposals for the renewal of health protection
legislation, which have already begun. The proposals would replace
outdated statutes with a new health protection legislative regime,
better adapted to modern technology and society. The renewed legislative
framework could be centred on a new Canada Health Protection
Act and could replace the Food and Drugs Act (1953),
the Hazardous Products Act (1969), the Quarantine Act (1872),
and the Radiation Emitting Devices Act (1969).
One of the guiding principles for decisions regarding risks to
health in the proposed new Act is:
It shall be recognized that the same measures
can impact different people in different ways, depending on factors
such as gender, age, social situation, economic conditions, education,
culture or personal convictions and values.(Health Canada,
n.d.).
It is important that children's unique vulnerabilities to environmental
hazards be considered in the implementation of the new Canada Health
Protection Act and in preparing for the review of the Canadian
Environmental Protection Act. Governance instruments to protect
children from environmental hazards must address a broad spectrum
of unsafe products as well as chemical, radiation and biological
hazards in contaminated air, food, water and soil. Other jurisdictions
including provinces, territories and other OECD countries have
modified their health protection governance instruments to include
specific measures to protect children. Federal policy makers need
to learn more about the strategies and experiences (both positive
and negative) of these jurisdictions in relation to implementing
these measures, to guide their own policy development.
Research Questions
- What governance instruments have been used by other jurisdictions,
including other levels of government in Canada, and other OECD
countries, that take into account protection for children's1 health
from exposures to environmental hazards2 in
the workplace, home and community? Have other jurisdictions considered
separate instruments for children or general instruments which
refer to the special circumstances of children? What considerations
were taken into account in selecting and developing these governance
instruments? What lessons can Health Canada learn from their
experiences?
- How have other jurisdictions, including other levels of government
in Canada, and other OECD countries, considered specific developmental
windows of vulnerability in protecting children's health from
exposure to environmental hazards in developing governance instruments?
What lessons can Health Canada learn from their experiences?
- How have other jurisdictions, including other levels of government
in Canada, and other OECD countries, implemented governance instruments
for protecting children from exposures to environmental hazards?
What were the results of implementing these governance instruments?
What lessons can Health Canada learn from their experiences?
Policy Contact
Applicants must get in touch with the policy contact at least
once during the development of the proposal. The policy contact
is responsible for ongoing interaction with researchers on the
policy issues and context. Inquiries should be directed to Nicki
Sims-Jones, Senior Policy Analyst, Children's Environmental Health,
Health Impacts Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety
Branch, Health Canada, (tel.: (613) 948-2589; e-mail: Nicki_Sims-Jones@hc-sc.gc.ca).
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants are required to register in order to obtain an application
form and a registration number which must be quoted on the application
form. Applicants should consult theHPRP Guide
to Research Project Funding before registering.
Inquiries regarding registration, eligibility/ineligibility, administrative
questions about timeframes and budgets, application formatting
and content, the review process, and terms and conditions of the HPRP should
be directed to Inger Abrams (tel: (613) 952-8112; e-mail: inger_abrams@hc-sc.gc.ca).
Deadline for applications is January 14, 2004 (must be
courier stamped January 13 for next day delivery). Address for
courier:
Inger Abrams
Health Canada
Rm 1532B, Jeanne Mance Building, Tunney's Pasture
Postal Locator 1915A
Ottawa ON K1A 0K9
Endnotes
- Includes children from preconception
to 18 years of age.
- Includes hazards from food, air, water, soil,
health and consumer products, radiation emitting devices as well
as infectious diseases.
References
Briggs, D. (2002). Making a difference: Indicators to improve
children's environmental health. Prepared for WHO. http://www.cepis.ops-oms.org/bvsana/fulltext/Summary.pdf
Governor General of Canada. (2001). Speech from the Throne
to open the first session of the thirty-seventh Parliament of
Canada - January 30, 2001. http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=
E&Page=InformationResources&sub=sftddt&doc=sftddt2001_e.htm
Governor General of Canada. (2002). The Canada we want: Speech
from the Throne to open the second session of the thirty-seventh
Parliament of Canada - September 30, 2002. http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/sft-ddt/hnav/hnav07_e.htm
Health Canada. (n.d.). Health protection legislative renewal.
Retrieved October 3, 2003, from http://renewal.hc-sc.gc.ca/
UNEP, UNICEF, and WHO. (2002). Children in the new millennium:
Environmental impact on health. http://www.unep.org/ceh/
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