PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are found everywhere: in food packaging, pesticides, drinking water, and our own bodies. Their persistence and toxicity make them one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. Yet regulation continues to lag behind the evidence, leaving communities exposed and institutions struggling to respond.
This webinar brings together scientific and legal expertise to examine the PFAS crisis from complementary angles, exploring what it reveals about the state of chemical governance and the pursuit of justice for affected populations.
Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
– Describe the main health risks associated with PFAS exposure and the current state of scientific evidence
– Critically assess the gaps and failures in existing chemical regulation frameworks, and the case for precautionary, science-led approaches
– Understand how the legal system has engaged with PFAS-related harm, with specific reference to the Miteni trial in Italy
– Identify the points of convergence and tension between medical science and law in establishing causation and liability in environmental health cases
– Reflect on the role of multidisciplinary collaboration in advancing both public health protection and environmental justice
Content:
The session is structured in two thematic blocks.
The first part shines a light on the science of PFAS and the public health emergency they represent. Despite decades of evidence linking these chemicals to serious health outcomes — including cancer, immune disruption, and metabolic disorders — regulatory responses have remained fragmented and reactive. This lecture will examine why precautionary and multidisciplinary approaches have been so slow to take hold, and what an effective public health response to the PFAS crisis should look like.
The second part draws on the landmark Miteni case — one of the most significant legal proceedings in Europe concerning PFAS contamination — to explore how the courts have navigated the intersection of science and law. Key issues examined include the contested legal definition of illness (including whether hypercholesterolaemia, a recognised primary effect of PFAS exposure, qualifies as such), the challenges of establishing causal links between exposure and harm at both individual and collective levels, and the role and independence of expert scientific consultants in legal proceedings. The presentation will conclude by reflecting on the broader lessons of the Miteni trial for the relationship between medical science, epidemiology, and the pursuit of justice, and leave a final time for Q&A.
Format
The session runs for 90 minutes and is structured as follows:
30 minutes — Lecture with Joanna Cloy (FIDRA): PFAS and the public health challenge
30 minutes — Case study with Claudia Marcolungo (UniPd): The Miteni trial — law, science, and justice
30 minutes — Q&A and open discussion with participants moderated by Chiara Cadeddu (EUPHA LAW)
The event will be held online and is designed to encourage active engagement from participants across disciplines, including public health professionals, epidemiologists, legal experts, policymakers, and advocates.
