Dierdre Scozzafava, Assembly Member, New York State Legislature; Michelle A. Reed, Cancer Action NY Member and Cancer Victim; Lewis M. Shepard, Cancer Action NY Member and Cancer Detective; Donald L. Hassig, Director, Cancer Action NY
Cancer Action NY has sought to move the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) to begin educating New Yorkers on the subjects of dioxin exposure cancer risk and exposure reduction since the early 2000s. During the past several years, we have come to recognize the importance of expanding our advocacy to call for cancer prevention education that focuses on reducing exposure to the many carcinogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that contaminate all animal fat produced and marketed in the United States and the rest of the world. Reducing body burdens of dioxins, dioxin-like furans, dioxin-like PCBs, PCBs, DDT, DDE, Lindane, Chlordane, PBDEs and numerous other fat-soluble, halogenated hydrocarbon compounds is of major importance in reducing cancer risk for both the individual and offspring. The NYS DOH has yet to produce a single paragraph of educational message on these subjects. We are currently seeking the opportunity to discuss the science of dioxin exposure cancer risk assessment with NYS DOH scientists. It is our belief that a substantive discussion of the peer-reviewed scientific literature will yield progress in this initiative to create New York State government allies in the use of science to prevent cancer. Assembly Member Dierdre Scozzafava has promised to seek the participation of the DOH in the dialogue described above.
Cancer Action NYs Cancer Action Network, Donald L. Hassig, Producer