What it's about:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of industrial compounds. Due to their properties, they are used in numerous industrial processes, technical applications and consumer products. Also known as “forever chemicals”, PFAS are persistent and can be detected widely in the environment, the food chain and in humans. The risk of health impairments caused by these substances is being intensively researched. A number of PFAS have already been regulated by law due to their negative effects on health and the environment, and further regulatory measures are being prepared. The topic of “PFAS in human health risk assessment” will now be the focus of an international scientific conference from 8 to 10 October 2025 at the BfR site in Berlin-Marienfelde. “When it comes to the health risks posed by PFAS, much remains unclear,” says BfR President Professor Andreas Hensel. “With this conference, we want to broaden the horizon of knowledge and address open questions.”
Note: Journalists are welcome to attend the conference free of charge. Please contact pressestelle@bfr.bund.de
Link to the conference programme: https://www.bfr-akademie.de/media/wysiwyg/2025/PFAS2025/Programme.pdf
The conference will focus on topics such as “detection methods”, “exposure assessment” (i.e. the question of how many PFAS people are exposed to), “research on behavior in humans”, “legal regulation of PFAS”, and research into possible health effects. The conference will conclude with a panel discussion on the challenges and advances in assessing the human health risk assessment of PFAS.
Questions and answers about PFAS
About the BfR
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH). It protects people's health preventively in the fields of public health and veterinary public health. The BfR provides advice to the Federal Government as well as the Federal States (‘Laender’) on questions related to food, feed, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics closely related to its assessment tasks.