Unedited Recording of a Cancer Action NY Tele News Conference: Creating a 2011 New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan for Action on Major Groups of Pollutant Carcinogens Starting with Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Exposure Reduction Education
Monday, April 18, 2011, 4:00 PM
Interested members of the news media are invited to participate in the news conference via conference call.
Information for accessing the conference call follows.
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) are in the process of creating the 2011 New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan (CCCP). The 2003 NYS CCCP (currently in effect) included a goal for reducing exposure to pollution. However, no pollutant carcinogens were named in the 2003 Plan. Considering the large number of chemical carcinogens that exist in every New York State resident's body and the high cancer rates experienced in our state, it is critical that New York State government take action on reducing exposure to the most significant of these body burden substances. Three groups of pollutant carcinogens are major contributors to cancer causation for the general public: (1) persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including, dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs, and many less studied chemicals (2) exhaust constituents, including, benzene, formaldehyde and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and (3) carcinogenic metals, including, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel and lead.
âCancer is almost always caused by exposure to environmental chemicals. If we want to reduce rates of cancer we must target reducing exposure to those chemicals best known to cause human cancer. In my judgment POPs are the most dangerous contaminants and there are clear steps than can be taken to reduce exposure.â-David O. Carpenter, MD (Dr. Carpenter endorses this event but will not be on the conference call due to another obligation.)
"The DOH does not target specific carcinogenic pollutants for exposure reduction efforts because the choice of substances would spark a considerable amount of controversy. Designating POPs exposure reduction for immediate action will bring family farms and the food production corporations to Albany in protest of potential damage to their sales of animal fat containing products. Commerce has traditionally been given top priority over all other matters. We are facing a situation where this paradigm must be changed. The public health is more important than commerce. State government must use scientific knowledge to reduce cancer risk now."-Donald L. Hassig
Cancer Action NYs Cancer Action News Network Donald L. Hassig, Producer 315.262.2456
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