It’s Time to Learn From Frogs

[Natasha]

It's Time to Learn From Frogs

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/opinion/28kristof.html
6/28/09

Now scientists are connecting the dots with evidence of increasing
abnormalities among humans, particularly large increases in numbers of
genital deformities among newborn boys. For example, up to 7 percent
of boys are now born with undescended testicles, although this often
self-corrects over time. And up to 1 percent of boys in the United
States are now born with hypospadias, in which the urethra exits the
penis improperly, such as at the base rather than the tip.

[Catherine]

I makes you wonder if at some point in the future we will be able to sue chemical companies for our conditions ?

It's Time to Learn From Frogs

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/opinion/28kristof.html
6/28/09

Now scientists are connecting the dots with evidence of increasing
abnormalities among humans, particularly large increases in numbers of
genital deformities among newborn boys. For example, up to 7 percent
of boys are now born with undescended testicles, although this often
self-corrects over time. And up to 1 percent of boys in the United
States are now born with hypospadias, in which the urethra exits the
penis improperly, such as at the base rather than the tip.

[tekla]

makes you wonder if at some point in the future we will be able to sue chemical companies for our conditions

Sure, as soon as you can afford as many lawyers as the chemical companies hire. Oh yeah, as long as you're out on a buying spree, buy some congresspersons and a Senator or two, they have a bunch, so the laws are written for them, with lots, and lots, and lots of exemptions for liability.

[Catherine]

I am sure that there is a lawyer out there who would do it as a class action. 

I suspect you would have less ahance of doing so in the UK. as the laws here are more difficult to persuade that there is damage of some sort.

makes you wonder if at some point in the future we will be able to sue chemical companies for our conditions

Sure, as soon as you can afford as many lawyers as the chemical companies hire. Oh yeah, as long as you're out on a buying spree, buy some congresspersons and a Senator or two, they have a bunch, so the laws are written for them, with lots, and lots, and lots of exemptions for liability.

[tekla]

The trouble with class actions suites, at least in the US, is that the money almost never gets back to the people who were injured, it's eaten up in legal fees.  And, they take so long - some take decades in fact - that by the time they get settled, the injured parties tend to be dead.

[Catherine]

I sort of know that... The old Smoking one comes to mind.

But the subject has always given me food for thought. I have always wondered why did it happen to me? I have always sort of thought that it ought to be something to do with chemicals. Now I guess there is something to that idea.

But at the end of the day. Who knows ?

The trouble with class actions suites, at least in the US, is that the money almost never gets back to the people who were injured, it's eaten up in legal fees.  And, they take so long - some take decades in fact - that by the time they get settled, the injured parties tend to be dead.

[tekla]

Well the real problem with the chemical stuff is that they have been studied in isolation - so we know that X amount of chemical Y is the threshold between something bad happening and nothing happening (allegedly) but the entire chemical soup we swim in on a daily basis, there are no studies (and it might even be impossible to make one as its such a chaos mix) about how having all those chemicals at the same time are interacting.  So I don't think its as much a problem of this chemical or that chemical, but the total effect of all the chemicals acting together.

[lisagurl]

Read "Doubt is the product"

Much of what we consume has chemicals that effect our health. Corporations have the lobby and money to support any research that tells their product is safe. The whole research business is run on money.

[RebeccaFog]

you're all bringing me down, Babies.

Maybe I need more of those brain chemicals they gives to us mentally disturbed mutants