AMA passes chemicals policy resolution

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AMA passes chemicals policy resolution

RESOLUTION 404 - MODERN CHEMICALS POLICIES

RESOLUTION 413 - MODERN CHEMICALS POLICY

RESOLUTION 418 - A MODERN CHEMICALS POLICY

RESOLUTION 427 - ENCOURAGING SAFER CHEMICALS POLICIES AND REGULATORY

REFORM OF INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH

RECOMMENDATION:

Mr. Speaker, your Reference Committee recommends that Substitute

Resolution 404 be adopted in lieu of Resolutions 404, 413, 418, and

427

to read as follows:

RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association call upon the United

States government to implement a national modern, comprehensive

chemicals policy that is in line with current scientific knowledge on

human and environmental health, and that requires a full evaluation of

the health impacts of both newly developed and industrial chemicals

now

in use. (Directive to Take Action); and be it further

RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association support the

restructuring of the Toxic Substances Control Act to serve as a

vehicle

to help federal and state agencies to assess efficiently the human and

environmental health hazards of industrial chemicals and reduce the

use

of those of greatest concern. (Directive to Take Action); and be it

further

RESOLVED, That our AMA support the Strategic Approach to International

Chemicals (SAICM) process leading to the sound management of chemicals

throughout their life-cycle so that, by 2020, chemicals are used and

produced in ways that minimize adverse effects on human health and the

environment. (Directive to Take Action); and be it further

RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association encourage the training

of medical students, physicians, and other health professionals about

the human health effects of toxic chemical exposures. (New HOD Policy)

HOD ACTION: Substitute Resolution 404 adopted in lieu of Resolutions

404, 413, 418, and 427.

Resolution 404 asks our American Medical Association to: (1) encourage

the training of medical students about the health effects of toxic

exposures on patients; (2) call upon Congress to craft and implement a

modern, comprehensive chemicals policy, to (a) close the Data Gap by

improving the efficiency of the chemicals market by implementing

measures that improve the flow of information regarding toxicity from

chemical producers to businesses, consumers, workers, and government

agencies; ( close the Safety Gap by reducing the commercial

circulation of the most hazardous chemicals by identifying those of

greatest concern and implementing measures that motivate businesses to

reduce their usage and improve the safety of their usage of these

substances through toxics use reduction and other relevant strategies;

and © close the Technology Gap by introducing a range of other

incentives to encourage businesses to invest in green chemistry

innovation, and by supporting " green " chemistry research and

education;

and (3) carry this resolution to the World Medical Association urging

involvement in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals

Management (SAICM) process leading to the sound management of

chemicals

throughout their life-cycle so that, by 2020, chemicals are used and

produced in ways that minimize adverse effects on human health and the

environment.

Resolution 413 asks our American Medical Association to call upon the

United States government to implement a national modern, comprehensive

chemicals policy in line with current scientific knowledge on human

health, which requires a full evaluation of the health impacts of both

newly developed and existing industrial chemicals now in use.

Resolution 418 asks our American Medical Association to gather all

stakeholders to craft and develop a modern, comprehensive national

chemicals policy.

Resolution 427 asks our American Medical Association to support

restructuring of the Toxic Substances Control Act to: (1) require

chemical producers to provide comprehensive chemical hazard

information

in forms that are appropriate for use by the public, workers,

industry,

and government; (2) serve as a vehicle to help federal and state

agencies to efficiently assess the human and environmental hazards of

chemicals in commercial use and reduce the use of those of greatest

concern; and (3) introduce complementary federal mechanisms to

motivate

investment, education, and research in safer (`green') chemical

technology.

Testimony was unanimous in support of the intent of these four

resolutions. While all are somewhat different, the resolves in the

resolutions generally call for the support of a restructuring of U.S.

chemicals policies. Testimony noted that several independent analyses

of the current U.S. chemical regulatory program (the Toxic Substance

Control Act, commonly known as TSCA) have been completed and concluded

there are several deficiencies in the program. TSCA is federal

legislation that is administered by the Environmental Protection

Agency

and is meant to characterize and evaluate the risks posed by certain

chemicals to both humans and the environment. TSCA does not provide

oversight of pesticides, food additives or cosmetics, which are under

the purview of other regulatory acts. It is not appropriate (nor in

the

realm of our expertise) for our AMA to gather stakeholders to craft a

new national chemical policy as called for in Resolution 418. It is

also more likely that efforts will be made to improve TSCA rather than

create new legislation or in a new " comprehensive chemical policy " as

called for in Resolutions 404 and 413. The fourth resolve was expanded

to encourage physicians and other health professionals on the health

implications of toxic chemical exposures. Your Reference Committee

agrees with all expressed sentiment and deems that the substitute

resolution adequately captures the scope and intent of the various

sponsors.

See here:

(http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/18589.html) And click on

the resolution numbers listed at the top of this post.

Jackie