David Rall (M.D., Ph.D.) launched Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), a publication just one year after he was appointed director of NIEHS. In the half-century since, the scientific journal — still supported by the institute — has evolved into a top-ranking venue for research and news in the fields of environmental toxicology, environmental epidemiology, exposure biology and measurement, risk assessment, and related policy development and evaluation. All content is now freely available online, as the journal is now open access.
(Image courtesy EHPEHP’s early issues carried the proceedings of conferences that NIEHS hosted “as a means of assessing current state of knowledge [on current environmental problems] and possible impact on human health, and identifying research that should be undertaken,” according to the NIEHS Annual Report for fiscal year 1972–1973. These initial topics serve as reminders that there are still health threats.
- Phthalate esters.
- Heavy metals.
- Asbestos.
- Chlorinated dibenzodioxins (and dibenzofurans)
EHP would continue publishing conference proceedings to ensure “maximum communication of research findings,” the report stated. “Reactions from those who read Perspectives indicate our efforts in this direction are successful.”
Solutions are based on reliable research
“Since its launch, the journal has been premised on the idea that increasing the availability of information on the environmental health sciences is essential to solving environmental health problems,” noted Editor-in-Chief Joel Kaufman, M.D., in an Editorial to mark the anniversary. “Our focus has remained resolutely on the intersection between the environment and human health, and the development of the journal has mirrored the impact that the NIEHS has had in fostering the science underlying environmental decision making.”
Early issues of the journal featured a solid color cover with a 1970s vibe. (Image courtesy EHPResearch shared in EHP’s pages — whether print or web — continues to support improvements in environmental health, as demonstrated by the journal’s Interactive timeline(See top Sidebar).
- The first issue was dedicated specifically to research on polychlorinated phenyls. They were banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), seven years later. In 2010, the EPA proposed updates, citing EHP publications as one of the references.
- In 1981, the journal published proceedings of the first Symposium on Environmental Epidemiology — six years before the founding of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology.
- Early findings from 1994 on endocrine disrupting chemicalsMake sure to stand.
- Nearly a dozen EHP papers cited amendments to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards in order to reduce ozone, and address exposure to fine particle matter.
- In June 2000, the EPA restricted chlorpyrifos’ use. By then, EHP had published more than 50 articles — including news, reviews, and original research — on the widely used chemical.
Since 2018, editors have helped researchers find timely research by inviting experts. Curate collectionsThe topics covered range from developmental toxicology and microbiome to indigenous health and environmental racism. Two additional collections highlight the annual Journal Impact FactorThe resulting increase in shopper confidence has reached 9.031, with a 5-year impact factor of 10.776.
Kaufman is a professor in the departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, Medicine, and Epidemiology at the University of Washington (UW), where he served as interim dean of the UW School of Public Health from 2016 to 2018. Joel Kaufman.For the first time, this year, Editors’ Choice CollectionThe science editors presented research that fills in data gaps, uses innovative methods, represents the breadth and depth of topics covered by EHP, as well as other notable characteristics.
New ventures for a new time
In January 2021, the staff held a virtual strategic summit with stakeholders to update the journal’s vision, mission, and goals. You can see the results of both current and future initiatives.
- Early Career Researcher Initiative — An advisory panel is entering its second year of guiding the organization in strengthening the next generation of environmental health researchers.
- Global focus — The journal’s longtime outreach to researchers and policymakers worldwide is now focusing on actions that foster an innovative, diverse, international community of contributors. According to Kaufman’s editorial, later this year, the journal will announce a new platform for the work of environmental health scientists in low- and middle-income countries.
- New article types — In addition to Invited Perspectives and Research Letters, first published last year, EHP will soon release guidelines for new review types covering advances in fundamental science and innovations in methodologies.
“EHP has been a groundbreaker and guiding light in the environmental health sciences for decades,” said Rick Woychik, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program. “I am very excited at the new directions the journal is taking.”
“Help us celebrate this anniversary,” wrote Kaufman. “Let us know how we are doing. And keep sending us your best work.”
(Kelly Lenox is associate editor for EHP, and a former Editor-in Chief of the Environmental Factor.
