The study 'seems'....noble, but it is who is sponsering the study that is bothersome...DOW, EXON, BAYER, HONYWELL...i think that about somes up the conclusion and effects of the study....

"11/12/2004: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Bush appointees, plans to launch a new study in which participating low income families will have their children exposed to toxic pesticides over the course of two years. The study entitled CHEERS (Children’s Environmental Exposure Research Study) will look at how chemicals can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3 years old.

For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation. "

notice how a 'political spin' is put on this....once again, it is not about the political politics....it is about the politics of corporate control....he who controls the $$, controls the outcome..........

now the link

politicians do not control corporations, corporations control politics......

Wow great thread... You bring up some obvious, and not so obvious points here.

1) People often don't realize that looking at who is paying for a study is an important part of it's validity, and thats not often something that is publicized along with the results. For companies like Exxon, Bayer, and Dow to be footing the bill is a bit surprising. The fact Bayer, a drug company, is in with an oil company and a chemical company is a little surprising also, so I looked at the link, and it may be a bit murkier. Those companies all belong to a chemistry association, and it's the association that is funding the study - not those companies directly. Which brings me to...

2) Look at who is publicizing the study and its sponsors, also. Is this spin for political gain? In this case, it's an "Organic Consumers" site that seems to me like an agricultural Greenpeace. They might not be framing this study in an unbiased and accurate way.

3) There are rules about experiments. One of them is, that an experiment cannot be conducted if there is suspicion to do harm to a human individual, or if harm is apparent during the study. That's one of the ethical guidelines one follows if they are a scientist. To flat out feed toxic chemicals to babies intentionally to see what happens is not a valid experiment. Hmmm fishy.

4) Take a look at the claim on this study - it seems to hit every single 'hot button' that people might have. Pesticide fear, harming babies, taking advantage of the poor, big business, and scoundrel sponsorship. Hmm again. Sounds like some good propoganda here.

5) This site never actually explains what the study does - only hints at it. One part mentioned the mothers *might* increase their use of toxic chemicals around the home. Why? Is this study testing cleaning products? Medicines? Food? Giving baby a spoonful of toxins? It never says. Fishy.

Sounds to me like they want to drum up lots of support to stop this study for some reason be it political or financial. No real facts are given, just hype to up the freak out factor of those reading the site, and it's probably working :/

I have to agree with you there RB. The site make it seem that they are going to activlty expose kids ala Mengela and see what happens.

Now there is a basis for this, with the Syphillis experiments that occured with black men that were infected and not treated in the 50's (I think) and in some of the research I have done on the Manhattan Project on: indicates they may have allowed contaminated workers to go untreated and die of radiation poisoning. However, there is alot of oversight and parental involvement in this one so I doubt that this is the case.

It would be good to know what would happen if early results from the children's samples show dangerous levels of chemicals.

Will the researchers warn the parents and stop the study, or will they keep quiet and risk the child's health for the sake of the study?

Anyone in the US fancy asking the EPA?


zero lift

This makes me sick. What kind of parent would ok this study???
I have friends that say if they ever found out they had a terminal illness, they would rid the world of some stupid people that should not be allowed to continue to breathe...i'm starting to fancy these feelings.
Nothing has ever made me angrier than people that harm children, and animals.
Somebody should form some type of organization with enough members to protect one another and start taking back our rights as americans, save the children, and perform these studies on the stupid people that came up with this crap to start with.