As wildfires blaze in the U.S., Canada, and other places around the globe this summer, millions of people are gearing up yet again to protect themselves and their families from the health risks of wildfire smoke. And as wildfires have become more intense over the years—quadrupling in size over the last four decades—researchers have begun … Continue reading How does wildfire smoke affect pregnancy outcomes?
Every day we are exposed to hundreds of chemicals in the food we eat, the water we drink, and products we use in our homes. But what makes some chemicals more problematic than others and what does that mean for our health? Our new study sheds light on what PFAS and PBDEs are doing to … Continue reading How do PFAS and PBDEs affect telomeres and what does that mean for our health?
Advancing health equity through environmental health science and policy is a core mission of PRHE. Inequities in exposures to environmental contaminants are an important contributor to health inequities and can have a significant effect on the quality of life in at-risk communities. A potentially important step toward addressing inequities came with President Biden’s Executive Order … Continue reading How EPA can improve identifying and reducing environmental health inequities
I still clearly remember the day 15 years ago when a reporter called me to ask if women needed to worry about lead in lipstick. Lead in lipstick? Why would there be lead in lipstick? I was Chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), California District, at a time when we as … Continue reading ACOG updates opinion to reduce prenatal exposure to toxic chemicals
Implementation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) does not fully account for science or protect the public’s health, so how can EPA strengthen implementation of the law? The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) has closely monitored EPA’s TSCA implementation, submitting public comments on how inadequate … Continue reading 5 years after TSCA reform – Why EPA must prioritize science to protect public health
Today, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued an opinion calling for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals to be restricted around the globe. PRHE has been working in partnership with FIGO and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) on efforts to interpret the science and inform ob-gyn patients about how chemicals impact pregnant … Continue reading FIGO urges removal of PFAS use around the globe
People who work more than 55 hours/week are at significantly higher risk of heart disease and stroke than people who work the typical 35-40 hours/week, according to a Joint Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) which evaluated the evidence using the Navigation Guide systematic review method developed by the … Continue reading WHO and ILO finds working long hours one of the largest burdens of disease globally
An interview with Dr. Shanna Swan Shanna Swan, PhD, is an epidemiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Her new book, Count Down, chronicles how chemicals in our air, food, water, homes, and personal care products are threatening sperm counts and jeopardizing human reproduction. Shanna will discuss her book and her … Continue reading Count Down: It’s not just sperm
Growing up in urban poverty with working-class parents subjected to occupational exposures taught me that where you live and work affects your health. I was raised with the conviction that one should not have to choose between work and health. So, when I learned about the dangers that methylene chloride posed to human health (e.g., … Continue reading New study unveils more worker deaths from methylene chloride than previously reported
Everyone in the United States is exposed to hundreds of environmental chemicals every day. One class of chemicals has recently become more concerning, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are chemicals found in nonstick cookware and food packaging materials, such as pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags. Historically, chemical companies dumped PFAS into lakes and … Continue reading Double jeopardy: exposure to PFAS and social stress leads to elevated CRH, a biomarker leading to preterm birth
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