scholarly journals Developing Scientific and Policy Methods That Support Precautionary Action in the Face of Uncertainty—The Institute of Medicine Committee on Agent Orange

2002 ◽  
Vol 117 (6) ◽  
pp. 534-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel A. Tickner
Keyword(s):  
Vietnam Veterans ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Decision Rules ◽  
Agent Orange ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Institutional Structures ◽  
Precautionary Action ◽  
The Face ◽  
Tools And Methods

To be precautionary, decisions must be made to prevent the impacts of potentially harmful activities even though the nature and magnitude of harm have not been proven scientifically. The Institute of Medicine's Committee on the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposures to Herbicides provides a novel example of science and policy structures that support precautionary action in the face of uncertainty. What makes this example unique is the clear set of precautionary decision rules that lowered the standard for evidence, which formed the basis for policy. These rules, established by Congress, strongly influenced the way scientific information was weighed and the subsequent compensation decisions. They encouraged committee members to think outside the confines of their disciplines and develop new tools and methods to fit their unique mandate. The result was a methodology, supported by strong institutional structures, that allowed scientists to discuss the evidence as a whole, reach decisions as a group, and clarify uncertainties.

scholarly journals Media and science. The handling of scientific information on SARS-CoV-2 in Mexican media

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Saúl Hernández Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
News Media ◽  
Current Issue ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Scientific Databases ◽  
National Media ◽  
Scientific Approach ◽  
The Face

The use and management of scientific sources of information, made by the Mexican media, regarding SARS-CoV-2 is analyzed. It is investigated whether four national media, two news and two opinion, resort to verified scientific sources to inform or comment on the specialized issues about the virus. An exploratory study was carried out on the number of scientific publications made on the virus in scientific databases and in three preprint repositories. Subsequently, a content analysis of four Mexican media was conducted to identify the sources and use of specialized information regarding SARS-CoV-2. Frequently, the news media rely on agency content, although in its original content there is a use-learning curve that allows forecasting best practices The opinion media delve into reflection, but its editorial line is dominant in the face of the scientific approach to the current issue.

The Solution of the Vaccine Court

Vaccine Court ◽  
2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kirkland
Keyword(s):  
Pertussis Vaccine ◽  
Federal Legislation ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
The Face ◽  
And Shifts ◽  
Civil Courts ◽  
Over Time

The vaccine court was created by federal legislation in 1986. This chapter tells the story of the founding and shifts in the vaccine court over time, placing it in a rich context of parental protest against the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine in the 1980s and showing how the scientific and legal conflicts that have riven it over time have shaped its responses to vaccine injury claims. After the pertussis vaccine scare of the 1980s subsided, fears of autism cropped up in the late 1990s. Parents wanted to bring lawsuits in regular civil courts, not in the vaccine court. The chapter presents the challenge posed by the potentially massive lawsuits claiming that thimerosal in vaccines caused autism and notes the court’s flexibility over time and its shrewd balancing of science and policy in the face of panic and uncertainty. Claims that autism is a vaccine injury would have to be adjudicated in the vaccine court.

scholarly journals The Behavioral Wellness in Pregnancy study: a randomized controlled trial of a multi-component intervention to promote appropriate weight gain

2019 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 1071-1079
Author(s):  
Lyndi M Buckingham-Schutt ◽  
Laura D Ellingson ◽  
Spyridoula Vazou ◽  
Christina G Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Gestational Weight Gain ◽  
Behavioral Intervention ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Weight Retention ◽  
Gestational Weight ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Prepregnancy Weight ◽  
The Face

ABSTRACT Background Adequate weight gain during pregnancy is important to both maternal and fetal outcomes. To date, randomized controlled trials have not been effective at increasing the proportion of women meeting gestational weight-gain guidelines. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine whether a multi-component behavioral intervention with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist significantly improves the proportion of women who adhere to the 2009 Institute of Medicine weight-gain guidelines. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to usual care (UC; n = 24) or intervention (n = 23) between 8 and 14 weeks of gestation. The intervention included a minimum of 6 one-on-one counseling sessions over ∼30 wk focusing on healthy diet and physical activity (PA) goals. In addition to the face-to-face visits, weekly communication via email supported healthy eating, PA, and appropriate weight gain. Gestational weight gain, PA, and diet were assessed at 8–14, 26–28, and 34–36 weeks of gestation; weight retention was measured 2 mo postpartum. Results The proportion of women meeting the guidelines was significantly greater in those receiving the intervention than UC (60.8% compared with 25.0%, OR: 4.7; 95% CI: 1.3, 16.2; P = 0.019). Furthermore, 36.4% of the intervention women were at or below their prepregnancy weight at 2 mo postpartum compared with 12.5% in the UC group (P = 0.05). Conclusions A multi-component behavioral intervention improved adherence to the 2009 Institute of Medicine weight-gain guidelines. This trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02168647.

scholarly journals Agent Orange Exposure and Attributed Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans

2011 ◽  
Vol 176 (7S) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvin L. Young ◽  
Paul F. Cecil
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Vietnam Veterans ◽  
Agent Orange

scholarly journals O5C.1 The NZ vietnam veteran family study: a multi-generational perspective on health and wellbeing

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A45.2-A45
Author(s):  
David McBride ◽  
Amy Richardson ◽  
Brian Cox
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Registry ◽  
Vietnam Veterans ◽  
Family Relationship ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Agent Orange ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Combat Experience ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Subsequent Interview ◽  
On Line

BackgroundThe serious impact of Vietnam service on New Zealand veterans arose from high levels of combat experience and exposure to chemical agents including Agent Orange. In 2009, we assembled a cohort of 2783 men and 23 women Vietnam veterans. They had significantly increased risks of head and neck cancer and chronic lymphatic leukaemia, with high rates of hospitalisation for renal failure and drug and alcohol problems. Overseas data indicates that families have been affected by relationship difficulties, with subsequent risks of adverse psychological outcomes in children. There have been few longitudinal studies which include a comprehensive exposure assessment (the exposome) and include both veteran and family, which is what we propose.Study populationUsing the cohort data, the electoral roll and an information campaign, we will recruit veterans, their spouses and their children for follow up. For all groups, we will obtain data to inform the general exposome through a base-line health survey using some of the brief measures deployed in our ‘contemporary veterans’ study, including the Post Traumatic Checklist (Civilian or military) for PTSD, and the Brief Family Relationship Scale exposure history.The specific exposome, including chemicals and ‘other’ specific exposures, will be recorded by on-line questionnaire and subsequent interview.Effects will be assessed through linkage to the Birth Defects Register, Mortality Collection, routine datasets for hospital discharge, and the Cancer Registry, using comparisons with national rates where appropriate. Most importantly, permission will be sought to flag individuals at the Cancer Registry, with access to blood or tissue samples facilitating the identification of genomic ‘effect biomarkers’. We hope that the method will be extended to other cohorts and for future deployments.

Isomer specific measurement of polychlorinated dibenzodioxin and dibenzofuran isomers in human blood from American Vietnam veterans two decades after exposure to Agent Orange

Chemosphere ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 18 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 531-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnold Schecter ◽  
John Constable ◽  
Joseph V. Bangert ◽  
Karin Wiberg ◽  
Marianne Hansson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Blood ◽  
Vietnam Veterans ◽  
Agent Orange ◽  
Specific Measurement

scholarly journals Analyzing Mission Impact of Military Installations Microgrid for Resilience

Systems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Peterson ◽  
Douglas L. Van Bossuyt ◽  
Ronald E. Giachetti ◽  
Giovanna Oriti
Keyword(s):  
Design Method ◽  
Military Installations ◽  
Electrical Grid ◽  
Equipment Reliability ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mission Operations ◽  
Novel Design ◽  
Tools And Methods ◽  
Mission Objective

This article develops a method to model, analyze, and design military microgrids with the objective to improve their resilience in the face of disconnections from the larger electrical grid. Military microgrids provide power to installation and base facilities to enable base mission objective accomplishments that are related to national security. Previous research, tools, and methods for microgrid design and assessment do not adequately address resilience in terms of accomplishing mission objectives and instead primarily focus on economic outcomes. This article proposes a novel metric to quantify microgrid resilience in terms of its ability to minimize the impact of power disruption on missions supported by the microgrid. The metric is used in a novel design method to ensure an islanded military microgrid can continue operations while disconnected for a two-week duration. Our model examines the ability to continue mission operations subject to various microgrid disruptions as well as equipment reliability.

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