Statement attributable to:
Robert McLean, MD, FACP
President, ý
Washington, DC (May 2, 2019) —ý (ACP) is encouraged by the passage of the Climate Action Now Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, which directs the U.S. to uphold its commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. ACP is deeply concerned about the negative impact that climate change is having on public health and patients, and that these effects will worsen without immediate action.
Physicians witness all too frequently the harmful health effects that climate change has on patients, including higher rates of respiratory and heat-related illness, increased prevalence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases, food and water insecurity, and malnutrition. This is outlined in ACP’s 2016 position paper, “,” published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
ACP looks forward to continuing to work and serve as a resource for policymakers in helping to communicate the harmful impacts of climate change on public health, and we applaud Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) for her leadership and efforts in advancing this important legislation.
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About the ý
The ý is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 154,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on , , and .
Contact: Julie Hirschhorn, (202) 261-4523, jhirschhorn@acponline.org