Last month, Dr. James M. Perrin, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, became the president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a professional group of 60,000 doctors. A primary care physician, Perrin is particularly interested in addressing chronic childhood illness during his three years of leadership at the academy, first as president-elect, then president, then president emeritus.
Q&A
Comments
The most obvious question - and one not addressed here - would seem to be, WHY is the incidence of these diseases increasing so rapidly? What research is being done to discover the cause(s) of increased asthma? or autism? (obesity is getting a lot of attention in the press though what research is being done on how to prevent it?) Treatment once people are sick, is usually a lot more difficult and expensive than preventing them from getting sick in the first place. Shouldn't the emphasis be on prevention research - as well as treating those already sick? Since the changes in incidence are so dramatic, it must be something that has changed that is causing this?
My theory is that it all has to do with globalization and the existience of very low WTO trade standards enabling poor quality and even toxic products (food, drug ingredients, toys) to enter the US supply chain and reach American consumers. These products are making Americans very sick. These are products that would normally would be heavily regulated. Fact is FDA has little control now over the quality of overseas manufacturing. We live in a new world where many of our goods come from China and India. We already know China has a poor safety track record yet we buy 80% of our drug ingredients from China and India. China is a country the US is in direct competition with for global resources and don't think the government there is not keenly aware of that. Now is the time to reinvest in American industry for the sake (and health) of our children and theirs.