URMLHN: Climate Change The Origin Of Bacterial, Viral And Parasitic Pathologies

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 20 Sep 2009 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

With acute respiratory infections continuing to be the major cause of acute illnesses worldwide, an impending flu pandemic and a rise in environmental concerns, the first European Congress on Environmental Pathologies is highly topical. Doctor Bettina Menne, the doctor in charge of global climate change and health at the WHO's European Centre for Environment and Health in Rome, will be speaking to a large audience during the congress on the emergence of pathologies related to climate change.

Apart from the questions concerning climate change, the ECEP will address all current environmental health issues using combining three approaches in combination:

- an approach which considers the environment: biological pathogenic agents, water pollution - in particular the question of pharmaceutical residues in surface water - and various different ecosystems

- a technical approach, based on examining the effects of electromagnetic radiation and nanotechnologies on health

- and a more cross-functional approach, which addresses the way in which members of the healthcare sector, but also society as a whole are educated about environmental health in Europe. The role of governments will also be addressed through the presentation of two national plans. The speakers will show how States are involved in risk management and in what ways the study of health-environment relations further societal ethics.

Chaired by Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini, Chair of the Scientific Council of the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering (CRIIGEN), several doctors and scientific experts including Professor Jean-Marie Haguenoer, Chair of the Health and Environment Commission of the National Academy of Pharmacy of Paris, Doctors Ake Wennmalm, Environment Director for Stockholm County Council and Joel Spiroux, a Medical Expert in Environmental Health with the Upper-Normandy Regional Federation of Private Practitioners (URMLHN), will present the results of their studies on environmental pollution caused by pharmaceutical products and chemical products in general - in particular the pollution of drinking water and surface water by chemical agents. They will also set out to assess the risks involved for human beings.

Source
WHO

• Additional
• References
• Citations