Call Notes
1. Welcome: Michael Lerner
This is our second network-wide call and we are focusing on science in an effort to raise the level of dialogue for all CHE Partners. We have three speakers: Pete Myers, Ph.D. of the United Nations Foundation, formerly with the W. Alton Jones Foundation, Ted Schettler, M.D., M.P.H. of the Science and Environmental Health Network, and Gina Solomon, M.D., M.P.H. of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
2. Science Website: Pete Myers, Ph.D.
CHE is in the process of developing a website specifically focused on science www.protectingourhealth.org. The goal is to make emerging scientific information available and accessible to health-affected groups, to the media, and to all CHE Partners. We will put isolated studies into a meaningful context to increase understanding and discussion.
There are three sections of the website: 1) Core Essays, including a discussion on the limits of science; 2) Running Commentary, with the latest information in the press; 3) Emerging Science. This final section will be the bulk of the site. It will include peer-reviewed literature, classic papers in the field, what we know and do not know, and health end points. Over time, there will be a library, links to key sites, and references.
Please review the site and direct your input to Pete Myers at JPMyers@OurStolenFuture.org
3. CHE Science Fact Sheets: Ted Schettler, M.D., M.P.H.
Ted has been coordinating a team of scientists in the development of several CHE Science Fact Sheets that focus on disease and causation. These papers will go through both an internal review process, and an external peer-reviewed process.
The current list of CHE Science Fact Sheets that have completed our internal review process include: brain tumors, breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, endometriosis, asthma, infertility, and neurodevelopmental disabilities. This will be posted on the website shortly. The Fact Sheets in development right now are: auto-immune disorders, Parkinson's, lymphoma, birth defects, ovarian cancer, thyroid disorders, multiple chemical sensitivities and ALS.
Ted commented that political factors affect how science is designed and carried out, and how it is interpreted. Lead and tobacco focused on scientific uncertainty to avoid taking any action. We would like to engage in policy discussions when the science is credible, but not definitive. This is when the Precautionary Principle is called upon. All CHE Partners should become well-versed in this principle. Ted will be writing a paper on the Precautionary Principle for the CHE website.
4. Disease Database: Gina Solomon, M.D., M.P.H.
For the March 21st meeting that launched CHE, Gina created a database of 140 diseases and conditions that showed some evidence of environmental links. The database rates the strength of the linkages from known evidence, to suggested connection based on animals. She hopes to update this database, make it searchable and post it online. This will help us set our priorities for research and investigation.
5. CHE Partner Comments:
Theo Colborn:
I need to hook up with Gina to discuss back references for her work.
Julia Brody:
I'd like to make suggestions for the breast cancer portion of the site. I like the context piece, especially how the media interprets the data.
Alan Greene:
Our pediatric website gets over 6 million hits a month. The environmental section is a trickle, but it is growing. We are very impressed with the CHE site and could work together on content perhaps.
Cheryl Greene:
I specialize in web traffic and can offer suggestions to bring more hits to the site.
Leyla Erk McCurdy:
This is exciting and we would like to do some collaboration. We are a gateway to pesticides for health professionals.
Susan Osburn:
Our site www.lymphomaresearch.org has a similar structure to the CHE site. We focus on the nature of the science and causation, as well as the Precautionary Principle. We are in sync with the CHE process and want to help.
Jordan Fieldman:
I appreciate that the CHE website is not alarmist. I like that there is information and a "take action" area.
Roger Rosenblatt:
We are developing a course on the environment and health in Seattle. We would love to use some of this content. If any of you are in the Seattle area I would love to set you up for a presentation.
Karen Florini:
I think that we should draw connections to the scorecard website. The "what you can do" question is the most important and the most controversial area of the website.
Michael Lerner:
The policy issues create a challenge for CHE. We're looking into how to do this and we will discuss this with everyone in the network in the future.
Pete Myers:
The website currently has a Commentary/Op Ed section where people can post their opinions. They can also discuss action items.
Jo Behm:
Please distribute the minutes from this meeting. There is a lack of core data on learning disabilities in California, as well as attention problems. In general, there is a national void. Does anyone have information on this? Please forward to me.
Elise Miller:
We are looking at health tracking in order to gather more significant data. The only increase that we know about for certain is in the number of special education students.
Paul English:
California has passed legislation to establish a health tracking system. We have an expert working group, which includes Dr. Solomon among others. We are creating recommendations for legislation and approaches to budgeting and prioritizing health outcomes. Visit www.ehib.org.
Toni Temple:
We are interested in the connections to anemia. The nutritional weaknesses potentially play a larger role than we realize. Will there be connections to CHE Partner websites?
Elizabeth Sword:
We would like to encourage links to CHE's site. I have a few questions:
- Who do we send comments to? (Answer: Pete Myers - JPMyers@OurStolenFuture.org)
- Who is your audience? (Answer: The audience for the CHE website is informed members of health-affected groups. Our fact sheets are oriented towards the level of a college biology course. We include a simple summary at the beginning that is written for high school level understanding.)
- CHEC launched healthehouse to inform the public of pre and post natal environmental exposures in the everyday home. The site includes shopping lists, to-do lists, detailed chemical profiles. www.checnet.org
Sheldon Lewis:
I would like to be involved with, and to help design a media relations program. (Please be in touch with Pete and Amy).
Amy Kostant:
I work with the Environmental Media Services and my job is to put experts in touch with reporters. I love to work with reporters.
Carolyn Wysocki:
I am interested in the multiple chemical sensitivities and Parkinson's Fact Sheets. Who do I contact and how do I get involved? (Answer: Contact Ted Schettler tschettler@igc.org. Also please go to the website where we encourage public review of our work.)
Susan Kegley:
You said that your Fact Sheets are peer-reviewed? Is this a regular peer-review process? (Answer: CHE is developing a peer-review function within the Science Advisory Committee that will be in-line with the established standards in the scientific community.)
Neil Gendel:
I'm concerned about lead. How do we get out of the community and into the institutions that provide information to parents regularly. 40% of the homes in San Francisco don't speak English.
Marc Lappe:
We are working on a safe pregnancy initiative at CETOS (Center for Ethics and Toxics).
Sumner Crosby:
We are interested in how you get these sources up online, and then connect them. For example, Gina's database - will this connect to actual products that contain these chemicals? (Answer: In some cases "Yes," but we need the scientific credibility before we can make that assertion and mixtures are too hard to pin down to one bad actor. We need to continue pushing for health tracking.)
Charlotte Brody:
Let's look outside the U.S. for these answers as well. The E.U. is banning reproductive toxins in cosmetics. We don't have to have a consumers report. We can point to international resources as well, or for example, link to the Not Too Pretty site on phthalates. www.nottoopretty.org
Steve Heilig: The November issue of San Francisco Medicine will be dedicated to CHE. Copies will be sent to all CHE Partners. We are working on a follow-up conference at UCSF in May 2003. The goal will be to mainstream this information in the scientific and medical communities. We welcome your input on speakers.
Toni Temple: Is there a one-page piece on CHE to distribute? (Answer: Yes, contact Jeanette.)
Elizabeth Sword: NIEHS will be creating their largest meeting on children's environmental health in Feb. 2003. There is a conversation to be had between CHE and the people who are doing the research. What leadership position would CHE like to take? (Betty Mekdeci and Elizabeth Sword were asked to help us with this question.)