Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
For.fear.of.public.outcry.and.litigation,.the.three.main.groups.with.vested.
inancial.interest.have.to.be.protected.at.the.sacriice.of.denying.the.cure.for.
intractable.illnesses..These.three.groups.are.dentistry,.coal.burning.electric.
power.plant,.and.the.vaccines.industry..Thimerosal,.a.form.of.Ethylmercury.
used.in.inluenza.vaccine,.is.a.product.associated.with.huge.inancial.inter-
est.worldwide.(Pfab.et.al..1996).
The.impact.of.worsening.environmental.pollution.on.the.physical.and.neu-
rocognitive.health.of.the.future.generations.of.China.would.never.be.curtailed.
if.such.negative.or.unethical.entities.operating.with.interests.are.not.identiied.
and.controlled.or.eliminated..It.appears.that.the.medical.practitioner.commu-
nity.is.powerless.when.it.comes.to.ighting.the.rapidly.rising.levels.of.autism,.
severe.allergies,.autoimmune.diseases,.cancers,.psychiatric,.and.metabolic.dis-
eases. in. children.. With. the. fast-growing. industrialization. of. China. and. the.
increasing. afluence. of. its. citizens,. there. exists. a. clear. possibility. that. toxin-
mediated.ill-health.would.wreak.havoc.on.child.health,.starting.
in utero
..Our.
present.healthcare.and.medical.system.have.not.paid.suficient.attention.to.the.
adverse.effect.of.environmental.degradation.on.human.health.
Conclusion
There.seems.to.be.rather.substantial.evidence.linking.metal.(especially.Hg).
overload.and.its.long-term.low-dose.effects.related.to.human.health,.espe-
cially.in.developing.fetus.and.young.children..It.is.expected.that.other.toxic.
chemicals.that.include.various.POPs.(such.as.chlorinated.hydrocarbon.pes-
ticides. and. lame. retardants). and. emerging. chemicals. of. concern. (such. as.
bisphenol. A. and. PFOA/PFOS). would. also. exert. their. harmful. effects. on.
human. health.. As. there. are. powerful. entities. with. vested. inancial. inter-
ests.operating.in.the.pharmaceutical.and.medical.healthcare.industries,.any.
efforts. in. disseminating. knowledge. of. environmental. degradation. among.
general.public.and.designing.an.appropriate.nutritional.approach.to.curtail.
the.diseases.arising.out.of.such.environmental.degradation.would.face.insur-
mountable.political.barriers..Unfortunately,.it.appears.that.only.with.further.
dramatic.rise.in.disease.burden.globally.with.worsening.environmental.deg-
radation.would.this.reform.of.the.healthcare.system.be.felt.imperative.
Acknowledgments
Financial.support.from.the.Special.Equipment.Grant.of.the.Research.Grants.
Council.of.Hong.Kong.(SEG_HKBU09).and.the.Mini-AOE.Grant.from.Hong.
Kong.Baptist.University.(RC/AOE/08-09/01).is.gratefully.acknowledged.
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