The NAS Perchlorate Review: Is the RfD Acceptable?

Risk assessors should always carefully evaluate whether a given reference dose (RfD) is the most appropriate choice for assessing risk. In the case of perchlorate, Ginsberg and Rice (2005) suggested that the RfD proposed by the National Research Council (NRC) is inappropriate because the NRC did not thoroughly evaluate the underlying science. However, we suggest that the NRC RfD is inappropriate because of the NRC’s “unconventional” approach.