HESI Emerging Issues Subcommittees are formed based on direct input from the HESI membership and constituency as to which scientific issues should be addressed via HESI scientific committees. These issues are identified via an annual survey of the membership and a broad cross-section of the international scientific community, and are presented for consideration at the HESI annual meeting every January. Once initiated, a subcommittee works to refine its topic into a focused scientific program and expand beyond its charter membership. When membership is established and a budget is developed and supported, the subcommittee moves out of the emerging issues process and becomes either a HESI Project Committee or Technical Committee.

The Emerging Issues Process
The HESI Emerging Issues process provides HESI members with a mechanism to monitor, evaluate, and respond to emerging scientific issues and events relating to human and environmental health and safety, toxicology, and risk assessment. The process supports the technical needs of HESI in dealing with emerging or newly identified scientific issues of mutual concern to the public, scientific community, government agencies, and industry related to the human health and environmental safety of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products.

The emerging issues process is overseen by a steering committee comprised of a chair, vice chair, past chair, and members-at-large from within the membership. The committee, which adheres to HESI 's tripartite mechanism for participation, also includes scientific advisors from government and academia. Nominations to the steering committee are sought from the HESI membership via an annual survey, and nominees are elected by the HESI Assembly of Members at the Annual Meeting. Click here to propose an emerging issue. 

HESI currently supports 2 active Emerging Issues Subcommittees:

• Distinguishing Adverse from Adaptive, Non-Functional and Pharmacologic Changes in Toxicology Studies
• Methodologies for Intermittent and Short Term Exposure to Carcinogens