Conference Preview | November 1-4, 2026 | San Antonio, Texas

RHP Risk Management’s Melanie C. Buser, PhD, DABT, MPH, will present at the 2026 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Expo, taking place November 1-4 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

The APHA Annual Meeting is one of the largest public health gatherings in the United States, bringing together public health professionals, researchers, policymakers, educators and other partners. This year’s theme, “Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan,” will frame discussions on current and emerging public health challenges and the role of science, policy and community action in protecting health.

From Evidence to Action: Translating PFAS Epidemiology into Federal and State Policy

Dr. Buser’s presentation will examine how epidemiologic and exposure-science evidence concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, is translated into regulatory and policy decisions at the federal and state levels.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise a diverse group of chemicals that vary in their physical and chemical properties, environmental persistence, and potential for human exposure. Scientific studies have examined potential associations between exposure to certain PFAS compounds and various health outcomes, including effects involving the cardiovascular, immune, and renal systems, as well as certain cancers. Interpreting this evolving body of evidence presents challenges for public health policy development, particularly given differences among individual PFAS compounds, variability in exposure characterization, and uncertainties in the available epidemiological and toxicological data. Regulatory decision-making requires consideration of the weight of scientific evidence, its limitations, and the implications of emerging research.

The presentation will use current policy examples to illustrate how scientific evidence is operationalized, including the designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the evolving federal drinking-water framework, and updated federal guidance addressing PFAS destruction and disposal.

A Broader APHA Session on PFAS Exposure and Public Health

Dr. Buser’s presentation is part of a special epidemiology session, “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Diet and Public Drinking Water Supplies: Epidemiology, Environmental Monitoring, and Policy.”

The session will explore current research on PFAS exposure, environmental monitoring, and related public health and regulatory considerations.

Why This Matters for Organizations Managing PFAS Risk

The challenges discussed at APHA are relevant to manufacturers, municipalities, utilities, trade associations, law firms and other organizations navigating PFAS-related decisions.

As federal and state requirements evolve, organizations may need to understand:

• which PFAS may be associated with a product, process, facility or environmental medium;
• how workers, consumers or communities may be exposed;
• whether available sampling or biomonitoring data adequately represent exposure;
• how toxicological and epidemiologic evidence applies to a particular population or scenario;
• how uncertainty affects risk characterization; and
• what regulatory, legal or risk-management actions may be appropriate.

Answering these questions often requires more than tracking new regulations. It requires an integrated evaluation of exposure pathways, available scientific evidence and the specific conditions relevant to the organization or community.

How RHP Supports PFAS Risk Assessment

RHP Risk Management’s Human Health Risk Sciences professionals integrate epidemiology, toxicology, exposure science and quantitative risk assessment to help clients evaluate complex PFAS questions.

RHP supports organizations with PFAS human health risk assessments, exposure-pathway evaluations, historical exposure reconstruction, epidemiologic and toxicological literature reviews, regulatory analysis, environmental and biomonitoring data interpretation, risk communication and expert scientific consulting.

This multidisciplinary approach helps clients understand how available evidence applies to occupational, environmental and consumer exposure scenarios and supports scientifically defensible decisions involving regulatory compliance, product stewardship, environmental liability, and public health.

Connect with RHP at APHA 2026

Conference attendees are invited to attend “From Evidence to Action: Translating PFAS Epidemiology into Federal and State Policy” and connect with Dr. Buser to discuss PFAS epidemiology, exposure assessment, human health risk assessment and evolving regulatory requirements.