March 2014

This week, the Director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., met with the Friends of the NIEHS (FNIEHS), a coalition of public and environmental health groups, co-chaired by the ATS. Dr. Birnbaum opened by discussing the negative impact of sequestration funding cuts on scientific research at the NIH. She emphasized the importance of environmental health research to global public health, showing that environmental factors influence 85 out of the 102 non-communicable diseases, and in the U.S., environmental factors account for at least 2 out of 3 cancer cases.

Dr. Birnbaum highlighted several areas of focus for the FNIEHS, including the health effects of arsenic exposure, which include asthma, new findings on how a commonly used herbicide is associated with Parkinson's disease and the association between air traffic pollution and autism. She also discussed the institute's efforts to address health disparities and vulnerable populations, including the NIEHS's leadership on researching the health effects of climate change and sustainability of the health research infrastructure, through the training of public health professionals and community leaders. Dr. Birnbaum closed by thanking the FNIEHS for supporting the institute and promoting environmental health with Congress.