Evidence Synthesis and Integration in the IRIS Program-Poster
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Systematic reviews conducted as part of developing IRIS assessments (Figure 1) consist of structured processes for identifying the relevant evidence, evaluating individual studies, summarizing the relevant evidence (i.e., evidence synthesis), and arriving at summary conclusions regarding the overall body of evidence (i.e., evidence integration). These approaches were developed through discussions within EPA, and were informed by multiple reviews by the National Research Council (2011; 2014; 2018). In addition, IRIS assessments include quantitative toxicity values based on the evidence identified as most informative during the systematic reviews. The standard operating procedures, including frameworks and considerations for developing the different parts of the systematic reviews, are outlined in an internal document (IRIS Handbook).