Pediatricians vs. Chemical Industry

Who should Congress listen to as they craft laws to regulate toxic chemicals? There is nothing more important than protecting our children’s health. The majority of parents know that when it comes decisions about their children, trained pediatricians, physicians and medical institutions know a thing or two about how the body works. The last six months the Senate has been debating and discussing a bill that is intended to regulate toxic chemicals. The problem is… as it’s drafted, the bill is worse than our current law (which is also broken!). Leading medical institutions like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Medical Association, the American Public Health Association and the American Nurses Association, have all said that when we reform our laws on toxic chemicals, the law must meet basic health criteria. The bill before the Senate doesn’t meet that important health criteria. Good laws matter. Seat belts and car seats. Banning smoking on airplanes. Removing lead from paint and gasoline. These are examples of common sense laws that do a lot to protect the public and create a safer, healthier world. So common sense that it’s hard to believe we didn’t have these laws on the books to begin with! The same is true for toxic chemicals. When it comes to protecting your child’s health I hope that a few years from now we’ll look back and say, “I can’t believe we let chemicals go unregulated for so long!” To build momentum for common sense laws on to...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - Category: Pediatricians Authors: Tags: Perspectives Environmental Health Outdoor Safety Source Type: blogs