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Re: Critics Allege Infant Mortality Rate
Hi Sandy,
I respectfully suggest that "absurd" is too strong a word. I know Mr. Mangano
personally. He is very careful with his studies and contentions. Something is happening
to infant mortality around nuke plants.
A study by Mangano on Salem (NJ) County, shows higher infant mortality, low infant
birth weights, and certain immune diseases all higher than national averages.
>From my understanding, the claim is not that radiation from nuke plants cause these
cancers, etc, but that continued low-level radiation acts in a synergistic fashion with
other toxins to produce these health effects.
Finally, Christie Brinkley will not be doing the "spewing", but acting as a moderator,
much like the role Alec Baldwin plays at these events.
Please strive to keep an open mind on these matters.
Peace,
Norm Cohen
Sandy Perle wrote:
> I am forwarding this on from a colleague. Please note the absurd
> allegations and information being spwewed by Ms. Brinkley on National
> TV talkshows (where most of middle America obtains their scientific
> information):
>
> > April 24, 2000
> >
> > Critics Allege Infant Mortality Rates
> > Decline When Nuclear Plants Close
> >
> > Allegations that infant mortality rates around five nuclear power plants
> > dropped after the reactors closed will be made April 26 at a press
> > conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. That day also
> > is the 14th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident.
> >
> > The press conference will feature: model Christie Brinkley; Rep. Michael
> > Forbes
> > (D-NY); Joan Claybrook of Ralph Nader's Public Citizen; Joseph Mangano,
> > who has authored several papers alleging health effects from nuclear
> > facilities; Janette Sherman, M.D.; and Randy Snell, the father of a child
> > with cancer. The event will be sponsored by Standing for Truth About
> > Radiation (STAR), Public Citizen, and the Radiation and Public Health
> > Project (RPHP), which is supported by actor Alec Baldwin.
> >
> > In an appearance on the Rosie O'Donnell television talk show April 17,
> > Brinkley told viewers that a report would be released that "indicates
> > very, very heavily that the second you close a nuclear reactor, I mean,
> > immediately, infant mortality rates go down."
> >
> > In a media advisory on the April 26 briefing, the organizers added a new
> > element to the allegations - "the federal government does not consider
> > potential health effects when renewing (nuclear plant) licenses."
> >
> > Background:
> >
> > For more than 30 years, claims have been made that there is a link between
> > low-level radiation and/or radiation from nuclear facilities and various
> > forms of cancer, low Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, babies with low
> > birth weights, and breast cancer among women living near nuclear plants.
> > Mainstream scientists, state health departments, and investigations by
> > various news media do not support these allegations.
> >
> > This new allegation was raised by Joseph Mangano in October 1998 and again
> > earlier this year in an article - "Improvements in local infant health
> > after nuclear power reactor closing"- in Environmental Epidemiology and
> > Toxicology. In the article, Mangano said: "Immediately after the (Rancho
> > Seco) reactor closed, local rates of deaths from all causes, deaths from
> > congenital anomalies, and cancer cases declined faster than the U.S.
> > average.
> > The fall in mortality was especially sharp for congenital anomaly deaths
> > ages 0-1 and 1-4." It is important to note that in conclusion, he said:
> > "Finally, radiation exposure is just one of many potential factors
> > affecting infant health, and it is very difficult exactly to determine
> > what proportion of disease rate decline is due to Rancho Seco's closure."
> > The article focuses on Rancho Seco, with references to four other plants -
> > LaCrosse, Fort St. Vrain, Trojan and Millstone/Haddam Neck - in an
> > appendix.
> >
> > Talking Points:
> >
> > * Despite the allegations in his article, Mangano points out that
> > "radiation exposure is just one of many potential factors affecting infant
> > health, and it is very difficult exactly to determine what proportion of
> > disease rate decline is due to Rancho Seco's closure."
> > * Radiation from commercial nuclear power facilities and its impact on
> > public health has been studied extensively by national scientific
> > organizations and state health agencies. None of these studies has
> > substantiated any of the allegations. (See Tooth Fairy Project Raises Old
> > Allegations: Thirty years of rebuttals from the scientific community
> > debunk similar allegations at http://member.nei.org and click on Key
> > Issues, then click on Radiation Protection, then click on Tooth Fairy
> > Project. (You may also wish to review the radiation response package
> > distributed to industry communications Aug. 31, 1999.)
> > * The largest and most comprehensive study of cancer mortality near
> > nuclear plants - by the National Cancer Institute - found no evidence of
> > increased risk of death from a wide range of cancers. The study found no
> > impact on public health.
> > * Operations of U.S. nuclear plants are constantly monitored and
> > measured. Strict radiation standards set by the U.S. Environmental
> > Protection Agency and enforced by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
> > with oversight by many state agencies, assure that the public is
> > protected. Ongoing monitoring programs around the plants provide timely
> > and accurate information that is made available to the public. In fact,
> > monitoring programs began several years before each plant went into
> > operation as part of a federal program designed to identify and document
> > background radiation and other baseline information.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Sandy Perle Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100
> Director, Technical Extension 2306
> ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division Fax:(714) 668-3149
> ICN Biomedicals, Inc. E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
> ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com
> Costa Mesa, CA 92626
>
> Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
> ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
>
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FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE WEBSITE: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~norco/ ICQ# 54268619;
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