Thank You Dr. Needleman

I want to take a minute to thank a hero of mine, Dr. Herbert Needleman. He was the first to really bring awareness to the problems surrounding lead exposure in children. His landmark 1979 study showed the cognitive and behavioral effects of lead exposure. Previously, the focus was on environmental pollutants causing physical diseases like cancer, but his study emphasized what later became known as "behavioral toxicity." He has also fought tirelessly to raise awareness of the issues and was instrumental in getting the level of concern for Blood Lead Levels lowered to where they are today. He was forced to defend himself against attacks from the lead industry and in doing so also fought for scientists' right to defend themselves in open hearings when accused of scientific fraud. It was his study that first showed the significant impact of lead exposure on behavior, IQ, and attention. He inspired a body of research that has made the environment safer. We still have a long way to go, but today, I stop and say thank you for your hard work, Dr. Needleman. Thank you from my family and the countless others who have been effected by this.