Policy Brief: Strengthening Regulation of PFAS in Food Packaging Perspectives from the Philippines
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl- substances (PFAS), a group of chemicals widely linked to a variety of health conditions, including cancer, immunotoxicity, cardiorespiratory diseases, endocrine toxicity, reproductive issues, and neurodevelopmental complications, has been found to be commonly used in food paper packaging products. Women, children, and factory workers are at higher risk to these negative health impacts due to inherent age and sex-related vulnerabilities and increased exposure.
This scoping review investigates the existing policies and regulations for PFAS use in food paper packaging in the Philippines, as well as the gaps and challenges in mitigating risk exposure in vulnerable populations.
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ACRI and ICARS Lead Expert Meeting to Tackle Climate and AMR Challenges in LMICs
The Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) and the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) recently hosted a three-day expert meeting to define research priorities on climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in low- and middle-income countries. With insights from Philippine agencies and international researchers in One Health, agriculture, and aquaculture, the event laid the groundwork for new research and funding that bridges climate resilience and AMR mitigation.
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ACRI, RTI looks into the Health Security Policy Landscape in the Philippines
The Philippines faces significant health security challenges due to its vulnerability to natural disasters, frequent disease outbreaks, and the unique demands of its devolved health system. To address these pressing issues, the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Center for Research and Innovation teamed up with RTI International to assess the country’s health security policies. The project set out to map existing policies, identify overlaps and gaps, and propose practical recommendations to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to health threats. It also sought to align national policies with global standards such as the International Health Regulations (IHR).