Strategic elements of ATSDR's Great Lakes Human Health Effects Research Program.

The goal of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Great Lakes Human Health Effects Research Program is to identify at-risk populations and to prevent potential human health effects associated with exposure to chemical contaminants in the Great Lakes basin. While this research effort is mandated by the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act of 1990, it also represents a significant opportunity to define a broader model or strategy for other regional or systems-level studies of potential health effects in at-risk populations. This article describes the strategy developed by ATSDR for this purpose in the Great Lakes Basin, as well as the program's specific research objectives and current status. It also outlines the projected implications of this research effort for greater comprehension of the potential health effects of exposure to contaminants in the Great Lakes Basin.