DDT: Misunderstood by Media

Posted on March 3, 2014 by admin

In their recent op-ed “DDT Causes Reduced Cognitive Ability—In Journalists,” Dr. Donald R. Roberts, professor emeritus of Preventative Medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Mr. Jasson Urbach, director of the health policy non-profit, Africa Fighting Malaria, advocate against the sensationalized coverage of DDT and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Over the years, the positive impact of DDT has been overshadowed by sensationalized reports drawing associations between DDT exposure and various diseases. It seems journalists are still after DDT even though research experts and respected organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have consistently supported its use for disease prevention and control. The authors describes DDT as“the most successful public health insecticide ever introduced.” In fact, since the mid 1940s to 1969 they added, “WHO has estimated that DDT lifted the burdens of endemic malaria from the shoulders of almost one billion people.”

 

Jason Richardson, PhD, from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute performed in vitro and observational studies to examine the potential effects of DDT on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, Urbach and Roberts point out that the levels of DDT introduced in a laboratory setting are significantly higher than those used in the field.....To Read More.....