Protecting public health in Yemen

Protecting public health after major radiation emergencies.

Commentary by Dr. Steven Becker, Department of Environmental Health No two disasters are precisely the same, and the unfolding emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility in Japan has several unique characteristics. The main one is the combination of circumstances that produced the crisis: a massive earthquake followed by an immense tsunami. Still, the Japanese nuclear crisis has import...

Protecting public trust in immunization.

Public trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines is one key to the remarkable success of immunization programs within the United States and globally. Allegations of harm from vaccination have raised parental, political, and clinical anxiety to a level that now threatens the ability of children to receive timely, full immunization. Multiple factors have contributed to current concerns, includ...

The Precautionary Principle : Protecting Public Health and the Environment 1

The precautionary principle is a guide to public policy decision making (Raffensperger and Tickner 1999, Schettler et al. 2002). It responds to the realization that humans often cause serious and widespread harm to people, wildlife, and the general environment. According to the precautionary principle, precautionary action should be undertaken when there are credible threats of harm, despite re...

Extramurally Speaking Earth Science Information for Protecting Public Health

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, provides reliable, impartial scientific information to describe and understand the earth. The vast earth and biological data holdings of the USGS and its natural science expertise in biology, geology, hydrology, and geography make it an effective partner in enhancing knowled...

Protecting Public Health from Inside a Jail Cell