Pediatricians Call For Stricter Toxic Chemical Rules

Paul Austin

Paul Austin is the director of Conservation Minnesota, a statewide non-profit. In that role, he gets to hear and share Minnesotan’s stories about our lakes, lands and way of life. Paul’s past lives include election as a small town mayor, serving at the US Agency for International Development, and managing a small marketing firm. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, two small children and one very large dog.

resize text
subscribe via RSS

Pediatricians Call For Stricter Toxic Chemical Rules

Posted by: Paul Austin Updated: April 27, 2011 - 11:19 AM

1
comments
print

Tweet
share

email
Email share

your name

your email

recipients email

+ add a comment add a comment

In a recent report in USA Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared that the U.S. needs to do a better job protecting children and pregnant women from toxic chemicals. They are supporting a measure introduced in the Senate to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act, which hasn’t been updated since 1976.

Quoting from the article:

The group says children's developing brains and bodies are far more
vulnerable than adults' to toxins. And while pediatricians typically
spend more time in the clinic than on Capitol Hill, the policy's authors
say they felt compelled to advocate for patients who can't defend
themselves.

"Kids don't vote," says pediatrician Jerome Paulson of Children's
National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., lead author of the
statement.

The pediatrics group is the latest of a growing number of medical
organizations - including the American Medical Association, American
Nurses Association and American Public Health Association- to call for
changes in the way that the government regulates dangerous chemicals.

The entire article is worth reading. Our Senator Amy Klobuchar signed on as one of the orginal authors of the bill.