Health Care Without Harm Disappointed Over Postponing of Ozone Regulation Update

Public Health at Risk, Health Advocacy Organization Says

RESTON, Va., Sept. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gary Cohen, founder and president of Health Care Without Harm, issued the following statement in response to President Obama's decision to postpone EPA's updating of the regulation of ozone, as required by the Clean Air Act.

"We are deeply disappointed that President Obama has postponed updating these regulations, as required by the science and law.  In the interim, lives will be lost, related health care expenditures will continue to increase, and thousands will suffer from worsening chronic illnesses, such as asthma and other respiratory difficulties.  An overwhelming amount of scientific literature shows the causal connections between air pollution and chronic illnesses that are helping to drive our nation's health care costs to unsustainable levels.

"President Obama needs to stand behind the EPA and enforce existing laws intended to protect the nation's health. This means enacting new ozone regulations and regulating carbon pollution.  

"This is a health care issue, and actions on this issue should not be caught up in political partisanship nor confused with issues that seek to divert attention from the fact that air pollution results in lost days at school, lost days at work, lost productivity, increased health care costs and ultimately, loss of lives.  These conditions take a toll on our economy and cannot continue unchecked."

Heath Care without Harm (HCWH), an international coalition of more than 473 organizations in 52 countries, is working to transform the health care sector, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment.

SOURCE Health Care Without Harm