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Articles recently moved to topics
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http://www.salon.com/env/feature/2009/04/10/cdc_lead_report/
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention withheld evidence that contaminated tap water caused lead poisoning in kids."
By Rebecca Renner
| "Health agency covered up lead harm" | Log-in or register a new user account | 10 Comments |
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Re: "Health agency covered up lead harm"
(Score: 1)
by syphilologist on Apr 15, 2009 - 06:59 AM
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OK, I read the article. Now where do the WashDC Health Dept and the WashDC Water Authority facto into this situation? The Water Authority has been publishing lead contamination results that exceed EPA action levels for years - what is the health department doing about it?
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Re: "Health agency covered up lead harm"
(Score: 1, Interesting)
by Anonymous on Apr 15, 2009 - 06:32 PM
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I moved to D.C. in 2003 and it was obvious then to anyone who watched the local news and/or read the Washington Post that lead levels in water posed a health hazard. The D.C. health dept. even gave out free lead test kits to residents.
Many D.C. restaurants didn't even serve tap water... I'm pretty sure there wasn't a cover up.
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Re: "Health agency covered up lead harm"
(Score: 1, Interesting)
by Anonymous on Apr 16, 2009 - 06:15 PM
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Public Health Authority in this country rests at the state and local level. It does not take the expertise of CDC to read and interpret a water lead level. Lead in drinking water is a problem. If the level tests above the cut off it is a serious problem.
It is within the abilty of the local Washington DC heatlh dept to perform and interpret the results of these tests. It is within the authority and entirely the responsibility of the local WashingtonDC health dept to act on the results. If money is a problem, then they need to approach Congress, not CDC.
Is someone suggesting that CDC should have sent an army of EIS officers in wearing their uniforms to perform a coupe, dispose the head of the health dept, take over authority and fix the problem? That would be a problem since CDC lacks authority and PHS Officers are not trained to use guns.
Sorry - the primary fault here lies with the local health dept and, if inadequate funding to change anything is the issue, with Congress. Unless CDC intentionally gave the local health dept incompetent advice CDC has no responsibility. And even then, since CDC has no authority to order the local health dept to do anything ....
Sorry this agency bashing scandel mongering just doesn't hold water.
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- Get real by Anonymous on Apr 19, 2009 - 01:11 PM
Re: "Health agency covered up lead harm"
(Score: 1, Interesting)
by Anonymous on Apr 16, 2009 - 08:12 PM
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In the United States, state health departments have primary responsibility for the health of their residents. I presume that in the District, this responsibility is subsumed by the DC department of health. CDC is a consultative agency with minimal statuatory powers. Generally CDC staff can't even enter a state on official business without an invitation from that state. Is water quality, specifically, lead levels, a federal responsibility? Did DC invite CDC to investigate the water quality in the district?
I doubt it.
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