Excerpted without footnotes from a policy statement of the American Public Health Association
11/14/2005

The American Public Health Association:
“Recognizing several longitudinal studies, of lead exposure and cognitive function, have found neurodevelopmental delays and reduction in IQ at even low levels of lead exposure in children. This neurological damage caused by lead appears to be irreversible, and

Understanding research supports the conclusion that reduction of IQ in children results when blood levels are below 10 micrograms per deciliter. The evidence clearly demonstrates the highest rates of IQ loss occur at low blood lead levels, and

Recognizing that one recent study's "best estimate" of IQ losses in children is 7.4 IQ points, as the lifetime blood lead levels rise from 1 to 10 micrograms per deciliter. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "blood lead level of concern," is set at a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter or greater, and

Recognizing a recent international pooled analysis of data, from previous studies on the effects of lead on children s intellectual function, showed an observed decline of 6.2 IQ points for an increase in blood lead levels from < 1 to 10 micrograms per deciliter. This study also concluded that blood lead levels in children < 7.5 micrograms per deciliter is associated with intellectual deficits, and

Understanding recent studies suggest there may be no toxic threshold limit for the adverse consequences of lead exposure. Therefore, the current CDC's "blood lead level of concern" of 10 micrograms per deciliter should not be interpreted as a threshold for toxicity, and

Understanding that even though the CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program recognized that elevated blood lead levels below the CDC's "blood lead level of concern" of 10 micrograms per deciliter can cause adverse health effects, it elected not to lower its "blood lead level of concern" and

Recognizing the CDC's "blood lead level of concern" is misleading because it is actually an "action level." It is also misleading in that it implies that the significant neurological damage caused to children below this "level of concern" is not a concern of the CDC, and

Realizing that in 2002 the CDC's Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, which is charged with assessing scientific data and recommend changes to CDC's policy to prevent childhood lead poisoning, had its panel membership changed; replacing childhood lead poisoning experts with lead industry-connected scientists, and….

Recognizing there is no effective medical treatment for children with moderately elevated blood lead levels and the evidence supports a shift toward primary prevention of lead exposure, and

Recognizing that high blood lead levels in children is still a very serious health concern. The CDC noted that during 1999-2002, among those children aged 1 through 5 years, approximately 1.6 percent had blood lead levels greater than or equal to 10 micrograms per deciliter, and

Understanding that prevention is the only way to achieve the nation's 2010 health objective of reducing all young children’s blood lead levels to below 10 micrograms per deciliter, and

Understanding that lead poisoning is one of the most serious preventable pediatric health problems today, yet the vast majority of cases go undiagnosed and untreated,….

Therefore, the American Public Health Association:
1. Supports the elimination of childhood lead exposure by banning all nonessential uses of lead and supports further reducing the allowable levels of lead in air emission, house dust, soil, food and water…..

…11. Calls on the CDC to develop intervention guidelines for children with blood lead levels above the revised "level of concern" and below 10 micrograms per deciliter, with an emphasis on preventing all possible sources of childhood exposures to lead….”

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