By Gilbert Ross, M.D.
Posted: Monday, March 3, 2008

LETTER
Publication Date: March 3, 2008

This letter first appeared on March 3, 2008 in the Detroit News:

The Feb. 21 Scripps Howard article "Male fertility is weakening" is irresponsible alarmist propaganda masquerading as science. In fact, there is no hard evidence that anything has "weakened the reproductive capacity of males."

This is a popular but baseless myth that so-called environmentalists use to attack "endocrine disruptors" and other useful and safe chemicals. True, some studies have found a decline in sperm counts in some areas, but at least as much evidence shows no such trend.

Contrary to the Dr. Rao Veeramachaneni's assertion, the only evidence of harm from pesticides derives from high-dose rodent experiments, which even the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health are now renouncing. There is no evidence of human health threat from common exposures to pesticides, nail polish, toys, or plastics -- contrary to the "common knowledge," these products are not laden with toxins. Again, it is true that many chemicals can be detected in our bodies -- but merely detecting a substance in no way indicates that it is harmful. Indeed, many chemicals in our food -- natural chemicals -- cause the same "toxicity" in rat studies as the dreaded synthetics targeted in the article.

But the most outrageous "fact" is that DDT, the chemical that has saved more human lives than any other -- from malaria, typhus and other insect-borne diseases -- is alleged to cause harm to wildlife in Africa. More than 1 million impoverished Africans (mostly young children) die needlessly every year from malaria -- preventable with tiny amounts of DDT sprayed indoors once or twice a year.

Even if true -- which it is not -- would he care to balance his claim of wildlife effects against the loss of human life?


Gilbert Ross, M.D.
Executive, Medical Director
American Council on Science and Health
New York