By Liz Borkowski As David Michaels reported yesterday, the Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act will come up for a vote in the House some time this week. The legislation will force OSHA to issue a standard that will minimize workersâ exposure to diacetyl, the butter flavoring chemical thatâs been causing severe, irreversible lung disease […]
By David Michaels Later this week, the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 2693 — The Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act. Now is the moment to let your Member of Congress know how important it is for them to support the legislation. Popcorn Workers Lung is a case study in regulatory failure. As […]
By David Michaels Most media coverage of Fridayâs announcement by the Consumer Products Safety Commission and a crib manufacturer that one million cribs were being recalled missed the story behind the story. Stung by an avalanche of bad publicity on its failure to protect children from toys with lead paint or dangerous magnets, the CPSC […]
The FDA bill wasnât the only thing getting health policy types excited this week. Senator Clinton unveiled her healthcare proposal, and provided fodder for bloggers, including: Ezra Klein (here, too) GoozNews, the Numbers Guy, RH Reality Check, and WSJ Health Blog. Also focusing on the executive branch, Tom Philpott at Gristmill reports on Chuck Connor, whoâs played key […]
A mere nine months after the National Academy of Science told OMB to junk its junk science proposal, the Bush administration is at it again. On Wednesday, OIRA administrator Susan Dudley and OSTPâs associate director Sharon Hays sent a memorandum to all executive agencies. The memo advised that âafter carefully evaluating [the] constructive recommendations from […]
The House and Senate have both passed legislation that renews the FDAâs user-fee system and enacts some important reforms. The process has been rushed because FDA is running dangerously low on funds; President Bush will need to sign the legislation today if the FDA is to avoid sending termination letters to one-fourth of its staff. […]
By Dick Clapp Researchers devote a lot of effort to determining what causes cancer, and their findings can help us treat and prevent the disease. Industries that use and manufacture suspected carcinogens have something to fear, though, if research shows their products or processes to be contributing to cancer in workers or nearby communities. As […]
Like microwave-popcorn manufacturers and toy companies, members of the trade group Grocery Manufacturers of America have recognized that itâs not a good thing to have consumers worried about whether their favorite products might kill them. So, theyâre asking the FDA to do more to ensure the safety of foods and beverages, and have come out […]
By David Michaels Congratulations to Ron Melnick! Ron is a senior toxicologist and director of special programs in the Environmental Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Since coming to NIEHS as a young toxicologist 36+ years ago, Ron has produced made a huge contribution to our understanding of the health effects […]
Ground Zero workers are still in the news. Last week, a House Panel heard from Dr. Philip Landrigan of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine about the illnesses these workers suffer from. Earlier this week, several members of New York’s Congressional delegation introduced the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which would would establish a […]