CDC Global Warming Health Report “Eviscerated”

Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before Congress Tuesday that global warming "is anticipated to have a broad range of impacts on the health of Americans."

But after heavy editing by the White House, her testimony left out virtually all mention of specific health effects, despite extensive CDC preparation and review of scientific studies on the subject, according to the Associated Press, quoting unnamed sources inside the CDC.

The deletions directed by the White House included details on how many people might be adversely affected because of increased warming and the scientific basis for some of the CDC's analysis on what kinds of diseases might be spread in a warmer climate and rising sea levels, according to one official who has seen the original version, the AP reported. ... They include fatalities from heat stress and heart failure, increased injuries and deaths from severe weather such as hurricanes; more respiratory problems from drought-driven air pollution; an increase in waterborne diseases including cholera, and increases vector-borne diseases including malaria and hantavirus; and mental health problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress.

The CDC is a foundational part of the nation's health system, and it employs some of the country's top medical scientists. The Bush Administration has a well documented history of downplaying the effects of climate change -- having attempted to mute various NASA scientists, like James Hansen, and edit key reports about global warming. Now, it appears to be meddling with the nation's health.

Here's The Daily Green's testimony on the subject: Refusing to listen to the nation's smartest people studying global warming -- and preventing the American people from hearing the same information -- won't keep bad things from happening. Failing to prepare for the consequence of global warming is bad policy.

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