Ecological Medicine - Publications
Generations at Risk: Reproductive Health and the Environment. Ted Schettler, M.D., Gina Solomon, M.D., Maria Valenti and Annette Huddle.
MIT Press, 1999.
Generations at Risk presents compelling evidence that human exposure to some toxic chemicals can have lifelong and even intergenerational effects on human reproduction and development. The result of a collaboration involving public health professionals, physicians, environmental educators, and policy advocates, this book examines how scientific, social, economic, and political systems may fail to protect us from environmental and occupational toxicants. It is an important sourcebook for those concerned about their own health and that of their loved ones, as well as for medical and public health workers, community activists, policymakers, and industrial decision makers.
Humans and ecosystems in the United States are subject to potential exposure to more than 75,000 synthetic chemicals, most of which are poorly tested or untested for human health effects. The authors focus on classes of chemicals that people may be exposed to at work, at home, and in their communities. These include toxic metals, organic solvents, pesticides, and endocrine disruptors. In addition to providing scientific information with which to assess the health risks of many chemicals, the book provides a guide to the current regulatory system and resources for action.
Buy this book at MIT Press.
In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development Ted Schettler MD, MPH, Jill Stein MD, Fay Reich PsyD, Maria Valenti, David Wallinga MD Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility, 2000
Learning, behavioral and developmental disabilities including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism prevent our children from reaching their full human potential. Seventeen percent of children in the United States have been diagnosed with one or more developmental disabilities. These disorders have widespread societal implications, from health and education costs to the repercussions of criminal behavior. Though trends are difficult to establish with certainty, there is a growing consensus that learning and behavioral disorders are increasing in frequency.
These disabilities are clearly the result of complex interactions among genetic, environmental, and social factors that impact children during vulnerable periods of development. Research demonstrates that pervasive toxic substances, such as mercury, lead, PCBs, dioxins, pesticides, solvents, and others, can contribute to neurobehavioral and cognitive disorders. Human exposure to neurotoxic substances is widespread. A review of the top twenty chemicals reported released under the 2000 Toxics Release Inventory reveals that nearly half are known or suspected neurotoxicants. Over 2 billion pounds of these neurotoxic chemicals were released on-site by facilities into the air, land or water. As our knowledge about these neurotoxic chemicals has increased, the "safe" threshold of exposure has been continuously revised downward. Toxic exposures deserve special scrutiny because they are preventable causes of harm.
In 1998, Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility launched the project In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development to address this important issue. In May of 2000, GBPSR released the 140-page peer-reviewed report In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development. It has been praised by the public and the scientific community.
| Research papers by Ted Schettler, MD, MPH |
Heart Disease and the Environment
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, July 2005 By Ted Schettler, MD, MPH
Use of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in neonatal intensive care unit infants Environ Health Perspect doi:10.1289/ehp.7932; online 8 June, 2005. Green R, Hauser R, Calafat A, Weuve J, Schettler T, Ringer S, Huttner K, Hu H.
Environmental Toxicants and Developmental Disabilities Amer Psychologist 60(3):243-255, 2005. Koger S, Schettler T, Weiss B.
The Ethics of Environmentally Responsible Health Care Environ Health Perspect 112(8):A382, 2004. Schettler T, Pierce J, Jameton A.
Autism: Do Environmental factors play a role in causation? The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, July 2004 By Ted Schettler MD, MPH
Birth Defects and the Environment The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, July 2004 By Betty Mekdeci and Ted Schettler, MD, MPH
Corn and Corn-Derived Products: Sources of Endocrine Disruptors. Environ Health Perspect 111(13): A691, 2003. Schettler T.
The Precautionary Principle Journal of Endocrine Disruption (Japanese).Vol. 3, 2003-2004 Schettler T.
Human rights: Necessary? Sufficient? Diversionary? Int J Occup Environ Health. 9:69-73, 2003. Schettler T.
Infertility and Related Reproductive Disorders The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, May 2003 By Ted Schettler, MD, MPH
Prostate Cancer The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, April 2003 By Ted Schettler, MD, MPH
Endometriosis The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, April 2003 By Ted Schettler, MD, MPH
Developmental Disabilities-impairment of children’s brain development and function: the role of environmental factors The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, February 2003 By Ted Schettler, MD, MPH (This paper was adapted from: Schettler T. Toxic threats to neurologic development of children. Environ Health Perspect 2001Dec;109 Suppl 6:813-6 )
Sewage Sludge-Looking Upstream: the Precautionary Principle. New Solutions 12(4):355-358, 2002. Schettler T.
Aggregate Exposures to Phthalates in Humans Health Care Without Harm. July, 2002 DiGangi J, Schettler T, Cobbing M, Rossi M.
Changing Patterns of Disease: Human Health and the Environment. San Francisco Medicine 75(9):11-13, 2002. Schettler T.
Environmental Endocrine Disruption. In: Life Support: The Environment and Human Health. Ed: McCally M. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, 2002. Solomon G, Schettler T.
The Precautionary Principle. In: Life Support: The Environment and Human Health. Ed: McCally M. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, 2002. Schettler T, Barrett K, Raffensperger C.
Toxic Threats to Neurologic Development of Children. Environ Health Perspect 109, (Suppl 6); 2001. Schettler T.
The Precautionary Principle in Environmental Science Environ Health Perspect 109:871-876, 2001 Kriebel D, Tickner J, Epstein P, Lemmons J, Levins R, Loechler E, Quinn M, Rudel R, Schettler T, Stoto M.
Human Health and the Environment: Lessons From the Children San Francisco Medicine 74(3):9-11, 2001 Schettler T.
Health risks posed by use of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in PVC medical devices: a critical review Amer J Ind Med 39:100-111, 2001 Tickner J, Schettler T, Guidotti T, McCally M, Rossi M.
Environment and Health: 6. Endocrine Disruption and Potential Human Health Implications Can Med Assoc J 163(11):1471-6, 2000. Solomon G, Schettler T.