Dr Elizabeth Whelan, President, American Council on Science and Health

in Healthcare by alovering — August 27, 2011 at 9:39 am | 0 comments

In 1978, ACSH President Dr Elizabeth Whelan founded the organisation in order to provide a platform for scientists in the public health arena to get their voices heard. In this discussion, she tells us why, over three decades later, the institution’s remit is as pertinent as ever

Firstly, could you begin by providing an insight into the background, aims and objectives of the American Council on Science and Health?

I founded the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) in 1978. At that time, I was concerned that in public debates about nutrition, chemicals in the environment and lifestyle factors in disease causation, the voice of scientists was not being heard. My goal was to establish a consortium of scientists from a variety of medical and scientific specialties and have them reach a consensus on topics related to chemicals, nutrition, and lifestyle factors as they related to human health.

For example, about the time ACSH was formed, there was a heated debate about the prevalence of cancer cases and cancer deaths in New Jersey. Indeed, that state was nicknamed ‘cancer alley’ by those self-proclaimed ‘consumer advocates’ who claimed that because there were so many chemical companies in New Jersey – and chemicals caused cancer, they said – there were an  unusual number of cancer deaths in the state.

ACSH scientists studied the issue and published a document demonstrating that in fact, New Jersey had a cancer rate similar to any other U.S. urban area – this report was widely covered by the media and roundly criticised by the anti-chemical advocates.

Could you elaborate on the educational activities that the ACSH conducts? Do you tailor some events specifically for the general public?

ACSH reaches its conclusions by doing an exhaustive literature search on a given subject. That review-of-the-literature paper is then peer-reviewed by ACSH scientists – and revisions are made as necessary. The full length literature review is then submitted to a peer review journal and then the document is given to a consumer writer who converts it to a shorter, more consumer-friendly brochure. The brochure is widely distributed to the media, policy makers and members of congress.

ACSH uses a number of vehicles for the dissemination of its work, including television and radio appearances. How important is effective dissemination and how popular have these methods proved with the public?

ACSH is a public health education and advocacy group. We widely circulate copies of our reports to the print and electronic media, members of congress and other decision makers. We post all of our papers and blogs online at www.acsh.org and www.healthfactsandfears.com.

Additionally each morning we publish a health ‘dispatch’ which discusses health topics in the news that day. Our dispatch is emailed to approximately 2,000 ACSH members and the media. Our material is popular with the media and consumers as it is written in a consumer-friendly manner.

Could you provide an insight into the public and environmental topics that the ACSH covers?

ACSH covers most aspects of public health:

• Nutrition – food safety, food irradition, sugar substitutes, vitamin supplements, so-called natural and organic food and related topics

• Chemicals and health – PCBs, dioxin, lead, Bisphenol A, phthalates etc.

• Lifestyle health issues – smoking, diet, exercise, seat belt use, etc.

• Other – including disaster preparedness

Are there any particularly pertinent or under-publicised issues that you would like to highlight?

Few people know about the topic of tobacco harm reduction (thr). Thr is an attempt to get cigarette smokers off cigarettes, and use ‘clean nicotine delivery systems’ like snus and e-cigarettes instead; these products give smokers the nicotine they crave without the smoke and products of combustion which cause cigarette-related disease and death. ACSH is taking a leadership role in tobacco harm reduction efforts.

We recently saw the 25th anniversary of breast cancer awareness month. How does ACSH see cancer research and treatments changing over the next 25 years?

ACSH does not do primary research on cancer; however, we report cancer trends, new therapies and related issues. I published a recent report in the New York Post detailing the dramatic progress made in fighting breast cancer. I ventured to say that for many or most of breast cancer diagnosed at an early stage, the word ‘cure’ is quite appropriate.

I see in the following decades a growing interest in ‘chemoprevention’ – that is, using drugs to reduce the chances of developing cancer in the first place. There are already drugs such as Evista used as chemoprevention of breast cancer – and more reports are appearing showing the chemopreventative effect of aspirin on colon cancer.

Childhood obesity is a growing problem, especially in the U.S. What can be done to halt the steady rise of this condition? Could the proposed school meals reform play a part in better nutrition for America’s youth?

Childhood obesity is a very complex problem. Education at an early age (and educating parents, too) is essential. Children and their parents need to know what the ideal calorific intake is. Encouraging physical exercise, both at school and at home, is also an essential part of the balance of calories in/calories out.

I do not believe that a ban on food advertising, or a ‘fat tax’ on food and beverages will have any measurable positive effect.

How important is collaboration to your work?

We have worked with the UK group ‘Sense about Science’, and we have the same philosophy: scientists have a moral duty to provide consumers with sound science – and to intervene when science is distorted.

www.acsh.org

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