 |
|
|
|
October 26th, 2010
06:33 AM ET
Gupta: Chemicals around us – we must know moreBy Dr. Sanjay Gupta This morning, I will be testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works. When I received the call to do this, truthfully, I was a little nervous. The topic is “Risks of toxic chemicals to children’s health,” something I have been interested in for a long time, and moreso after having three kids of my own. In fact, for the last year, I investigated the interplay between toxic chemicals and human health for a pair of documentaries on CNN. I learned more than a series of text books could’ve taught me. I spent time with citizens in Mossville, Louisiana, arguably one of the most toxic cities in America. For countless hours, I spoke to government officials and private sector expert scientists both on and off camera. And, I looked carefully at the research about the toxics we live with everyday. The most eye-opening part was how much we don’t know. While I am not a toxicologist or chemist by training, as a neurosurgeon, I have spent most of my life learning and trying to perfect the scientific method. Here is what I can tell you: In science, we expect absolute proof. What’s the old adage? In God we trust; everyone else bring data. But, the reality is, we don’t always have that proof. And, it is the area of potential impact of toxics on human health where the conventional scientific method is thoroughly challenged. As things stand now: Out of the roughly 80,000 chemicals in commerce, only around 200 have been tested, and only five have been restricted. I guess I always assumed watchdog groups and the government had evaluated and signed off on the safety of the chemicals we encounter in our lives. It’s not to say that all chemicals are bad. Again, it is how much we don’t know. Senate panel examining how chemicals in daily life affect kids' health Make no mistake, learning things too late can be wildly dangerous. In the 1940s, the pesticide DDT was declared harmless to humans and animals. Advertisements showed housewives cheerfully spraying it all around the house, on the couches, even spraying the dog. Today, DDT is banned in this country. We sometimes find out chemicals we thought were harmless are not safe at all. Lead is another example. Over the last 50 years, the acceptable levels of lead in the human body have been lowered every decade. Now, we know no amount of lead is safe. So many adults exposed to lead as children who suffered a whole range of damage to the brain and nervous system wish they would’ve known then' what they know now. Experts all over the country told me a similar thing. In the United States, chemicals are innocent until proven guilty. And, the only way they are proven guilty is by health effects turning up in people who have been exposed, often years later. In some ways, that makes us all guinea pigs. And, in case you are curious: What I am describing isn’t the same all over the world. The European Union has adopted a different standard to evaluate chemicals. It is more of a precautionary approach, and goes by the acronym REACH. Simply, the burden of showing a chemical is safe has shifted from the regulator to the producer. As a result citizens there know more about the air they breathe, the food they eat and the water they drink. People in the industry also told me this precautionary stance has not affected companies' bottom lines. Besides the cost saving in waste disposal, experts seemed confident the precautionary principle would spark innovation, create fewer hazardous chemicals and allow companies to remain as profitable as ever. This blog is already too long, and I have to go find a suitable tie to wear, and yet – I didn’t even write about what inspired me to show up before the Senate today in the first place. I have three daughters now, and the world in which they will live will be different than the one in which I grew up. How exactly it will be different is up to us. soundoff (1,008 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Next »Leave a Reply to adana escort
« Previous entryWas cholera in Haiti before the earthquake?
|
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
female viagra 2017 purchase viagra uk viagra daily use
purchase viagra in usa sildenafil citrate 100mg tablets can i buy viagra without prescription
viagra grapefruit juice viagra data sheet can you bring viagra into the uk
buy generic viagra without prescription viagra free delivery buy viagra over the counter nz
essay-writer.org college essays ohio environmental research proposal
buy viagra generic 100mg how much does viagra cost? buy viagra no prescription
essay king professional paper writers presentation services
creative thinking and problem solving essay discussion research paper questions to answer
thesis editing service teacher personal statement pay someone to do homework
cover paper for research paper nyu college application essay go do your homework
write an essay in english do my science homework buy college essay
walmartviagra do you need a prescription for viagra in south africa? best online viagra source
academic writing help do my college algebra personal statement for nursing
research paper game literary research paper writing a proposal essay
bootleg cialis how much does cialis cost in canada buy cialis online
100 mg viagra guaranteed viagra alternative i need buy viagra in sydney
uninsured cost of cialis mastercard generic cialis cialis lilly
generic cialis? generic cialis lowest prices cialis priligy online australia
detectives privados san javier
https://www.argadetectives.com/detectives-lebrija-sevilla.html
buy viagra online australia no prescription discount viagra usa cheap viagra express shipping
cialis no prescription paypal generic cialis with dapoxetine cialis ireland
bitly.com Free custom URL Shortener and branded URLs Free URL shortener to create the perfect short URLs for
your business.
buy viagra in canada alternatives to viagra men australia viagra online sales
buy viagra online mastercard viagra canada pay pal viagra without rx
if viagra doesn\'t work viagra for premature ejaculation treatment where to buy viagra with discover card
Everyone loves your personal style of writing. I’m wondering if you might take a peek at my own article and tell me your opinion about my style. I’m not a natural English speaker so this is why I am asking.
http://6dollarmillion.xyz
Imagine getting hundreds of people flooding your inbox on autopilot, 24/7. Cutting-edge funnel-based app that can generate 100 commissions of up to 900+ dollars DAILY. More details: Click in link in profile
https://bit.ly/2YfQFcC
corner drug store best drugstore foundation for dry skin 24 hour pharmacy near me
rx express pharmacy 24 hours pharmacy drug store near me
pharmacy today pharmacy prices online drugstore pharmacy
discount pharmacy http://pharmacy-onlineasxs.com/ impotence
I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I'm not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks!
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
Whats tough now is how the systematic appearance to ones life is not changed. This may sound out of line? It is nearly as if we crawl through life with our eyes closed on, not understanding the true meaning of our own destiny.
http://yourmatrixcashmachine.com
pharmacy rx world canadian pharmacy pharma
dollar store drug test discount pharmacy card peoples drug store
viagra canada head office viagra cheap free viagras samples buy brand viagra in canada cheap viagra online australia viagra patent ending ingredient in viagra viagra prices walmart viagra with dapoxetine us where to purchace generic viagra natural viagra for men free samples viagra genaric where can i buy generic viagra where can i buy viagra with out a prescriptrion brand viagra candian pharmacy
viagra professional 100mg viagra shipped overnight united states viagra coupons which one is better viagra cialis or laverta best online for generic viagra vgeneric viagra free generic viagra 365pills viagra female pink viagra 100mg pills viagra for premature ejaculation buy viagra 100 mg lloyds pharmacy in scotland order viagra buy viagra online australia viagra not working viagra prescription
viagra spanish com buy viagra in singapore viagra usa viagra tablet viagra, depoxtine viagra with dapoxetine us viagra online samples viagra buy online canada viagra super active,free shipping cheap viagra online canada sample viagra package cost of viagra 100mg overnight me viagra viagra pills viagra prescription
viagra austrlia viagra thailand pharmacy lapela versus viagra celiac. viagra buy viagra discover card generic viagra 100 mg viagra and diopoxtamine viagra super force viagra sale viagra generic 100mg cheap viagra online sydney buying viagra from canada grapefruit viagra interaction where can i buy viagra priligy viagra australia
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
cialis online purchase generic cialis prices no prescription canadian cialis http://mycialedst.com/ – cialisi ’
mastercard generic cialis cialis ordering australia 10mg cialis http://phrcialiled.com/ – cialis no prescription ’
cialis buy info/ looking for cialis 60mg cialis pills online http://cialijomen.com/ – dapoxetine cialis american express ’
paypal viagra viagra online generic viagra online with american express http://genqpviag.com/ – viagra paypal checkout ’
I am not sure where you're getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for great information I was looking for this info for my mission.
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
buy viagra in the us free samples by mail of viagra buy viagra without prescription http://llviabest.com/ – fast working viagra ’
cialis generic purchase cialis paypal canada brand cialis 20 mg http://21cialismen.com/ – viagra, cialis levitra online ’
viagra melbourne viagra gold overnight viagra online hong kong http://acialaarx.com/ – viagra online aus ’
cialis discount discount canadian drugs original cialis https://xz-pharmacyonline.com – Toradol ’
online pharmacies for cialis kГ¶pГ¤ cialis cialis egypt http://loncialis.com/ – cialis buy online ’