Bloggers have more thoughts on the environmental and human-health impacts of the economic crisis:
- Sarah Rubenstein at WSJâs Health Blog explains why a sick economy can make the case for health reform more compelling.
- Joe Paduda at Managed Care Matters suggests a way to improve the health insurance situation that doesnât require a huge amount of federal funding.
- Robert McClure at Dateline Earth relays a message from the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change about using the meltdown as an opportunity to combat climate change.
- Tom Philpott ponders the credit crunchâs effect on corn and fertilizer producers.
Elsewhere:
Matt Madia at Reg Watch examines a new EPA rule on lead in air, which adopts a more health-protective limit recommended by its staff and advisers but uses an averaging method thatâs not as protective as it could be. (Also see his post on whether OMB has weakened EPA airborne-lead monitoring efforts.)
Revere at Effect Measure highlights the latest concern about the FDAâs work on bisphenol A: a huge donation from a notorious critic of government regulation to the chair of the FDA panel considering the chemicalâs safety.Â
Olga Naidenko and Nneka Leiba at Enviroblog caution bottled-water buyers about contaminants that might lurk in their drinks, following Environmental Working Group tests of ten bottled waters.
Janet Stemwedel at Adventures in Ethics and Science explores the reasons why Congressional investigators are concerned about an Emory University psychiatristâs failure to report hefty consulting fees he received from drug companies whose products he was studying.
Tammy at Weekly Toll is disappointed that the presidential candidates havenât really addressed issues of interest to workers â like workersâ compensation and occupational health â even though the candidates assure workers theyâre feeling their pain.
PalMD at denialism blog, a physician running a small business, offers his views on McCainâs healthcare plan.
Judith Helzner at RH Reality Check highlights low-tech, low-cost interventions that can improve maternal health and help meet one of the Millennium Development Goals â if thereâs enough political will.