Press Releases

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Jul 30, 2008

Baucus Announces Markup of Bills to Support Foster Care and Adoption, Fight Elder Abuse, Exploitation

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) announced today that the panel will hold a business meeting on Friday morning to consider three proposals that would support vulnerable children and protect senior citizens. Baucus said the proposals would strengthen and renew adoption incentives and foster care policies, provide resources to prevent elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, and do more to protect patients receiving care in nursing homes.

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Health Topics
Sep 2, 2008

Statement on Passage of the 'Green Chemistry' Package by the California Legislature

Andy Igrejas, manager of The Pew Charitable Trusts' Environmental Health Campaign, today issued the following statement in response to the "Green Chemistry" package passed by the California legislature.

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Sep 10, 2008

Sen. Grassley Wins Committee Passage of Bill to Help Foster Care Kids Get Permanent, Loving Homes

The Senate Finance Committee today approved legislation first proposed by Senator Chuck Grassley to help move kids in foster care to permanent homes. Grassley urged congressional leaders to find a way to achieve final passage of the legislation before the end of this year's session.

 

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Health Topics
Sep 15, 2008

America’s Leading Thinkers Propose Innovative New Ideas for Investing in America’s Children

A selection of America's leading thinkers, including a Nobel laureate, award winning economists, researchers, and other notable experts have come together to provide 22 innovative new proposals for dramatically improving the lives of America's children.

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Health Topics
Sep 17, 2008

Likely Voters Want Federal Produce Safety Standards, Deeply Concerned About Broken System

Likely voters, by a 3-to-1 margin, want the federal government to establish new safety standards for the growing, harvesting, processing and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables even if they increase costs, according to a national survey commissioned by the Produce Safety Project (PSP), an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts at Georgetown University. Conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies, the survey found deep discontent - 75% of likely voters -- with the current voluntary system: 36% favor "complete overhaul" and 39% want "significant changes."

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Food Safety
Sep 17, 2008

Statement from The Pew Charitable Trusts on South Korea’s ban on using certain antibiotics in animal feed

Shelley Hearne, managing director, Health & Human Services Policy at The Pew Charitable Trusts, today issued the following statement in response to the decision by South Korea’s Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to ban the use of seven types of antibiotics in animal feed (the seven antibiotics that South Korea banned from animal feed are: Penicillin, Neomycin, Chlortetracycline, Colistin, Oxytetracycline, Lincomycin, Bacitracin zinc).

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Antibiotics in Food Animal Production
Sep 23, 2008

Landmark Foster Care and Adoption Bill Makes Critical Improvements to Nation’s Foster Care System

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act passed by Congress today generates significant improvements to the nation’s child welfare system, making it possible for more children to leave foster care quickly and safely to join permanent families.  This groundbreaking legislation marks the most sweeping Congressional reform of the U.S. foster care system in more than a decade.

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Health Topics
Sep 26, 2008

Statement of Jim O’Hara, PSP Director, in response to GAO report highlighting the need for improved FDA oversight of fresh produce

A GAO report found that the FDA lacks the critical resources necessary for protecting Americans’ health when it comes to food safety. The lack of resources, resulting in too few inspections, too little enforcement and too many gaps in scientific research, is not new and clearly needs to be addressed.

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Food Safety
Oct 8, 2008

New Law is Designed to Improve Lives, Outcomes of Nation's Foster Children and Youth

On Tuesday, October 7, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law the "Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act." This landmark, bipartisan legislation passed by unanimous consent in the House on September 17, thanks to the leadership of Representatives Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Jerry Weller (R-IL) and in the Senate on September 22, due to the efforts of Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV). The new law represents the most significant reform of the nation's foster care system in more than a decade.

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Health Topics
Oct 29, 2008

McCain and Obama Agree on an Important Policy Proposal – The Retirement Security Project's Automatic IRA

In the midst of a campaign with opposing views on most aspects of domestic policy, the presidential candidates have now both endorsed the Automatic IRA. 

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Nov 12, 2008

Survey Finds Wide Public Support for Nationwide Study of Genes, Environment and Lifestyle

Four in five Americans support the idea of a nationwide study to investigate the interactions of genes, environment and lifestyle, and three in five say they would be willing to take part in such a study, according to a survey released today.

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Nov 17, 2008

Salmonella Saintpaul Outbreak Exposes Food Safety Issues

Weaknesses in food safety policy, organization and communications were all displayed during this summer's outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul, according to a report released today by the Produce Safety Project (PSP), an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts at Georgetown University. The report, Breakdown: Lessons to Be Learned from the 2008 Salmonella Saintpaul Outbreak, represents an in-depth review of the public record of last summer's Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak that caused illnesses in more than 1,400 people across the country.

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Food Safety
Dec 12, 2008

Pew Joins Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Mayors to Launch “Bank On” Initiative

At an event today in California, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Safe Banking Opportunities Project joined Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California mayors and banking officials in announcing a new statewide program to bring more of the state’s residents into the financial mainstream. The state’s “Bank On” initiative aims to connect the “unbanked”—households without bank accounts—to appropriate, more affordable accounts that help lower their financial transaction costs and put them on the path to building savings and assets.

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Dec 12, 2008

Statement from The Pew Charitable Trusts on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's reversal on antibiotics safeguards in animal farming

Laura Rogers, project director for the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to reverse its plan to ban off-label usage of certain antibiotics in animal agriculture.

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Antibiotics in Food Animal Production
Jan 15, 2009

Nanotech Safety High on Congress’ Priority List

The House Science and Technology Committee introduced legislation today that highlights the growing attention on Capitol Hill to the need to strengthen federal efforts to learn more about the potential environmental, health and safety (EHS) risks posed by engineered nanomaterials. Nanotechnology is an emerging technology that promises to usher in the next Industrial Revolution and is the focus of an annual $1.5 billion federal research investment.

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Health Topics
Jan 22, 2009

The Prescription Project Applauds Legislation Requiring Disclosure of Physician-Industry Relationships

“Pharmaceuticals and medical devices clearly play a critical role in patient care. However, aggressive industry marketing of new drugs and devices to doctors through undisclosed gifts, consulting payments, speaking fees, classes, and meals can inappropriately influence medical decisions and create conflicts of interest."

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Conflicts of Interest
Jan 27, 2009

Ethical Evaluations of Nanotechnology

Recent action in Congress to reauthorize the U.S. federal nanotechnology research program offers the chance to address the social and ethical issues concerning the emerging scientific field, experts say.

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Health Topics
Jan 28, 2009

World’s First Mandatory National Nanotech Rule Pending

The Canadian government reportedly is planning to release in February the world’s first national regulation requiring companies to detail their use of engineered nanomaterials, according to environmental officials. The information gathered under the requirement will be used to evaluate the risks of engineered nanomaterials and will help to develop appropriate safety measures to protect human health and the environment.

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Health Topics
Feb 4, 2009

Statement from Pew Health & Human Services Policy Program on the Introduction of the Food Safety Modernization Act

"In the midst of an ongoing peanut product recall, the introduction of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) could not be more timely."

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Food Hazards
Feb 5, 2009

Nanotechnology and the Consumer

As part of a 6-DVD lecture series produced by the Museum of Science, Boston, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies director David Rejeski covers the topic of nanotechnology in consumer products.  This set, Talking Nano, provides an excellent overview of nanotechnology.

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Health Topics
Feb 10, 2009

The problem beyond the peanuts: Feeding human antibiotics to hogs makes salmonella harder to cure.

For the hundreds of Americans who have been sickened by salmonella-tainted peanut products, life-saving antibiotics are helping to prevent a catastrophe. But if we don’t change our livestock feeding practices, soon the salmonella may win.

 

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Antibiotics in Food Animal Production
Feb 11, 2009

Improving the Food Safety System

Erik Olson, director of chemical and food safety programs with Pew Health & Human Services Policy, issued the following statement at today’s House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Hearing on the recent peanut-related salmonella outbreak.

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Food Hazards
Feb 11, 2009

Stimulus Debate Highlights Need for Focus on Nanotech Risks

The nearly $800 billion stimulus package being debated in Congress contains a number of measures intended to improve information technology, infrastructure and the energy economy in the United States - all areas that will be greatly aided by nanotechnology. However, without an increased focus by the federal government on possible risks posed by engineered nanomaterials, many of the potential societal advancements created by the emerging technology could be compromised.

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Health Topics
Feb 26, 2009

President Obama’s Budget Includes Automatic IRA Proposal and Expansion of Saver’s Credit for 401(K) IRA Savings

The Administration’s budget outline, released today, includes the Automatic IRA proposal developed by the Retirement Security Project.

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Mar 17, 2009

It's Not Chicken Feed: Antibiotic resistance adds billions to health care costs

To reform health care we need to reduce health care costs, and that includes reducing the drug-resistant diseases that cost our country billions. This means stopping the misuse of the antibiotics our families rely on

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Antibiotics in Food Animal Production