Toxic EDCs are found in everyday products such as food cans, plastic water bottles, cosmetics, fire retardants found in sofas, and computers. These items are found in most American homes.
EDCs have been found to be linked to human disease, hormone related disorders, low sperm count, cancer, and many other illnesses. There is evidence that even miniscule amounts of these chemicals can disturb fetal brain development.
In 2000, a CDC (Center for Disease Control) study found that 99.9% of people tested had detectable levels of these chemicals in their bodies.
In 1996, during the Clinton administration, there was a push by pediatricians for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to test these chemicals. The testing process had begun under Clinton, but then during the Bush administration (The Dark Ages of Science), the research was halted and its funding was cut.
To counter President Bush's efforts to ignore the health of our children, a group of dedicated pediatricians started the National Children's Study (NCS). Even though Bush refused to fund this important research, the NCS was able to continue for 8 years.
The Obama administration has committed over $3 billion to NCS research. Thankfully, scientists may soon be able to detect which chemicals could be linked to autism, and its heart-breaking mystery will start to get solved.
50 comments:
during the Bush administration (The Dark Ages of Science)
so glad Bush is gone, it seemed like an eternity those 8 years
In December 2006 Bush signed a bill to raise federal funding for autism research, increasing federal funding by 50 percent. In total, NIH funding for autism research grew from $56MM in 2001 to $100MM in 2007, an 80% increase.
What do you always say about The Morning Call never letting facts get in the way? If you don't correct your blog, you're no better. Show that you hold yourselves to the same standards as you hold everyone else and publish a correction.
And in case you wanted to read the details, here you go:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/r001rx713u157231/fulltext.html
I will publish a correction re: your broken link ... but no correction is necessary regarding our post.
Fact is, President Bush refused to fund NCS research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) as they may relate to autism.
Regarding The Morning Call not letting facts get in their way, the fact is that for 30 days the "newspaper" purposefully misled the public regarding the jury's verdict in Sheena's civil litigation. Read our right sidebar content on this matter. We stand by these statements too.
Thanks for reading LVS, compulsively, at all hours of the day & night, "PTD Nazareth" (wink wink).
"In December 2006 Bush signed a bill to raise federal funding for autism research"
What did George Bush do for autism from January 2001 to November 2006?
President Bush ... proposed budget ... priorities ... FY 2009 ... no new funding for the Combating Autism Act, and level-funds or cuts many important autism and disability-related programs.
Why no Bush funding of toxic chemical research and autism? How about Dow, DuPont, Union Carbide, Pfizer, Smithkline Beechman, etc., etc.
Could these toxins also cause Alzheimer's in adults? Why is there an increase in peanut allergies in kids? Why do so many women golfers get ovarian cancer? Could it be the pesticides used on the golf green? Dinah Shore died of ovarian cancer. I think there needs to be more research. How about all the products from China? Are there any regulations? SO many products are packed in plastic.
Maybe there should be more toxic warning labels on products, but of course there has to be more research done first. Business profits have always been #1 for the GOP.
How anyone (like "anon" wink wink 10:03) could defend the Morning Call after all the decietful crap they've put Sheena's family though is beyond me.
Some people have a vested interest in blindly defending the "newspaper."
Touché, Villa.
It's a shame, these saboteurs out to get you. This is a great topic to talk about. Friends and family of mine have also been impacted by autism.
Most autism research has been genetic. We need more environmental research, and specifically EDC's. Great post here as usual.
...not sure they've "sabotaged" anything. They sure are trying though. You have legitimate discussions rooted in facts. That doesn't suit them. They don't want you to be taken seriously but its to late you already are.
Merci. They do "succeed" in sabotaging our posts sometimes by manipulating the discussion onto them, so let's not let that happen here. Ignoring them is the 2nd best revenge ;D
Vaccines is another area where more research is needed. For example, Thimerosal (a preservative that is 50% mercury) was increased in vaccines in the late 1980s. Could this have bearing on the increases in autism in the U.S. and other countries?
"What did George Bush do for autism from January 2001 to November 2006?"
Exactly. And by '06, it was grass roots movements that had made it impossible for W to keep ignoring autism totally. His $100MM in '06 was a token drop in the bucket. He spent more than that flying to Iraq on Thanksgiving for photo ops w/ a cardboard turkey.
This is the best blog discourse in PA. No wonder you 2 are (collectively) #1 every week. You have the most credibility and influence. The Morning Call...(?) that's a damn shame.
Merci.
I second that. Merci.
The Morning Call is both disingenuous (Kranzley, oopsie, he's gone) as well as pusillanimous (Erdman). Don't give their "Circle of Jerks" a second look in your rearview mirror.
Good advice. Merci.
Great overview re: autism quick facts and funding:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/
facts.php
Excellent, thank you. This jumped out at me ...
Total 2007 NIH budget: $29 billion
Of this, just $80 million (i.e., Bush's 2006 table scrap) goes directly to autism research.
This represents 0.28% of total NIH funding.
"Total 2007 NIH budget: $29 billion
Of this, just $80 million (i.e., Bush's 2006 table scrap) goes directly to autism research."
Anytime you want to have a legitimate discussion on misplaced priorities / spending, I'd be happy to. Do I think Washington spends $$ wisely and effectively? Hell no it's a frigging disaster down there.
By the way, 2007 funding was set by a Democratic Congress and approved by Bush. At a bare minimum it was Bush working in concert with the Democratic Party in setting spending.
"Anon" (wink wink) 3:02 ...
okay so lemme get this straight ...
when we don't even bother mentioning Bush's paltry funding of autism research we are concealing the truth about a terrific and compassionate President (wink wink) and we're "no better than The Morning Call" ...
but when we reveal exactly how paltry Bush's commitment to autism was ... well ...
that was the Democrats' fault!
See this is why you have no credibility as an "anonymous" (wink wink) commenter from Nazareth, dumb-ass, now get lost.
Obviously he disapproves of your right sidebar content.
from here > http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/
facts.php
* Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases
We used to think that tobacco was harmless. Doctors used to smoke while examining patients.
The reason why I decided to write about this is to call attention to the fact that there needs to be more research on environmental toxins so we can figure out which ones cause the damage. This could be an important part of solving the autism puzzle. I believe that is the point that Dr. Karp is making.
While I welcome opposing viewpoints,anonymous know it all blahg nazi cretins who are more concerned about attacking me personally, and have nothing better to do than troll blogs, are not welcome here.
There is a toxic overload in our environment. Teflon is slowly being phased out because it is dangerous. I have stopped microwaving food in plastic containers. It is safer to use paper towels or wax paper. I am going to purchase a stainless steel bottle for water.
While vaccines may be a part of the puzzle, how do you explain Amish children who are autistic? They don't get vaccines. There could be multiple factors involved, genetic, environmental, vaccines. There needs to be more research.
Angie, thank you for your post. I agree with you, what is being put into our environment needs to be understood so that we are not taking unnecessary risks.
An issue about science funding is that it's hard for Congressmen (and -women) to see what's in it for their constituents, because there isn't a clear output like a bridge or a new highway. So when time comes to prioritize spending, it's easier to cut science funding than something voters will feel directly impacted by.
I agree with you that autism deserves to be studied more. Maybe it'll end up being a combination of things: a genetic predisposition that is triggered by environmental factors. Autism affects people from almost the beginning of their life to the end. Some people with mild autism can function, but others have their life completely defined by autism. Their relatives deserve to know why it happened.
"when time comes to prioritize spending"
What's more important than the health of our children?
good to see posts here that challenge your position (legitimately, or for effect,i.e. as sabotaging interference).On related subject, thought you handled that commenter from Nazareth well
We used to think that tobacco was harmless. Doctors used to smoke while examining patients.
My gynecologist used to smoke while examnining me when I was pregnant! "Good old days?"
your posts are always good. its so disingenuous to post "anti" comments here as a way of high-jacking the thread...irregardless of where you live
Anon 8:51, I remember those good old days too. 7:48, it's hard to derail the hijacker(s) sometimes. We'd like to have a legitimate discussion here on the points Angie raised regarding Autism. We're just minding our own blog business here. But there are those out there who are hellbent on personally attacking us and dictating to us how we should run our blog. Yesterday and today, we have moderated/rejected about a dozen "anonymous" (wink wink) comments "commanding" us to behave differently. And as our *district court-approved SiteMeter(R) reveals, all of these comments are coming from Nazareth. It's creepy. But anyways, let's stay on topic.
*district court-approved in Wind Gap PA, only
Not in Nazareth Mr. Villa, nor have I tried to hijack anything - why do you lie to your "audience" like that?
2 minutes to respond. Readers, how creepy is this?
Great overview re: vaccines, for and against the theory that they may play a role in autism:
http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/
topic.do?topicKey=~.i3F.75xSGjZSvF
Here's where you can donate to autism education, awareness, advocacy, and research:
http://www.autism-society.org/site/
PageServer?pagename=donate_home
Pennsylvania
18 Pa.C.S. § 2709. Harassment.
(a) OFFENSE DEFINED. — A person commits the crime of harassment when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person:
(3) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which serve no legitimate purpose;
(5) communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner;
"Anonymous" (wink wink)
that is ;D
Readers, thanks for staying on topic.
10 Myths About Autism
Very interesting info, thanks for all these links ...
"Best Revenge," Officially :)
Oui. Merci.
Here's what caught my eye the most from Dr. Karp's excellent Huffington Post ...
"In 1996, pediatricians and other concerned scientists convinced Congress to order the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test hundreds of chemicals for endocrine disrupting effects. The Clinton administration began the process of designing these tests, but the Bush administration defied the law. It ignored this mandate to protect the public health...and organized medicine watched impotently from the sidelines. Today, ten years and tens of millions of dollars later, not a single chemical has been evaluated for endocrine disrupting effects!"
As Dick Cheney would say, "So?"
"the Bush administration defied the law"
they didn't defy it they were above it :)
Good point jdg, thanks. And anon 5:20 very well said. Thanks anon 11:18, speaking of myths about autism, did you hear about that right wing nut talk show host Michael Savage who says that autism is a fraud?
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