Policy interpretation of human biomonitoring research results in Belgium: priorities and complexity, politics and science

Key challenges in the field of environment and health are the interpretation of research data and the translation into policy measures. We present work of the Flemish Centre of Expertise for Environment and Health, working directly for the Flemish government. The centre investigated the complex relation between environmental pollution and human health by measuring pollutants and health effects in (over 4000) Flemish inhabitants, and developed an action plan for the interpretation of these human biomonitoring results for policy-making. In 2007 the first step of this action plan, the prioritization of research results, was analysed and discussed. We present results of this experience in practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.