Panel 1: Identification of Environmental Health Problems

mitigate known exposures, extrapolate environmental remediation knowledge, and share lessons of effective risk communication from industrialized countries with less developed areas of the world. To facilitate this process, global health concerns resulting from environmental exposures need to be addressed universally. Additionally, the global scientific community must commit to working together to help find solutions to these health issues as they are experienced throughout the world. If the next generation of health scientists is to act as stewards of the environment, this group must place more emphasis on sharing existing knowledge with all nations, specifically by collaborating with other nations that are dealing with the same environmental challenges. The International Central and Eastern European Health Conference was held in Prague, Czech Republic, in October 2004. This location was selected because current social, political, and economic transitions in this region have resulted in a dramatic impact on environmental and occupational exposures. During the past two decades, the period of political change, inadequate/aging infrastructure, and a lack of economic resources in Eastern and Central Europe have resulted in increased pollution and public health risk (Bell 2000; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 1999). A lack of regulation of environmental pollution and an increase in poor industrial and agricultural practices have resulted in increased air and water pollution as well as soil contamination (Jedrychowski 1995; Woolfson 2006). The purpose of this commentary is to summarize some of the main conference themes that were identified by the international graduate students who participated in the platform discussions at the conference. These students were asked to share their opinions and to prioritize the predominant environmental issues facing their respective countries, and to provide potential solutions for them. These forums identified societal and political issues as a potential challenge to implementing environmental reforms, whereas education and training were described as some of the most immediate ways to initiate action on these issues. Additionally, these two groups also emphasized the prominent need to address children’s health issues, because children are often considered the most susceptible subgroup of any population. We hope that this commentary will highlight the international nature of current environmental health problems and underscore the vital need to increase the exchange of information across borders and scientific disciplines.