Opinion

Health threat from climate change is not supported by the evidence

LETTER — Posted June 16, 2008

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Regarding "Health risks heating up? Global warming could affect patients' symptoms" (Article, April 21): Your article contains a host of opinions and dire conclusions about global warming that are unsupported by evidence-based medicine.

There is a growing body of meteorological evidence that global warming trends are abating. AMNews reports studies showing a link between plant growth and increased CO2 with negative effects.

Many studies demonstrate a positive impact of warming or increased CO2 on agriculture. Many meteorologists now believe that the human role in altering warming/cooling cycles present as long as earth has had a climate is vastly overstated, as is the threat to the health and well-being of humankind. There are many studies that demonstrate that excessive cold is more of a threat to human health than warmth.

For a variety of political reasons, these inconvenient facts have received scant attention in the news media. It is nevertheless a disappointment to see such an unbalanced presentation in AMNews.

We have presented a more sanguine view of climate change in "Anthropogenic global warming: a skeptical point of view" (Missouri Medicine, March/April 2008). We also would direct AMNews readers interested in a science-based alternative viewpoint of human-caused global warming dogma to read the comments on this issue by Sen. James N. Inhofe (R, Okla.). They can be accessed through the Web site of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he serves as ranking member (link).

John C. Hagan III, MD, Kansas City, Mo.

Anthony R. Lupo, PhD, Columbia, Mo.

Editor's note: Dr. Hagan is the editor of Missouri Medicine, and Lupo is associate professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Missouri.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/06/16/edlt0616.htm.

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