Philadelphia Medicine Summer 2020 - 24
p h i l a m e d s o c .org
Feature
Physicians for
Social Responsibility (PSR):
Addressing Public Health Issues
Medicine Alone Cannot Cure
By: Walter Tsou, MD and Susan Robbins, MD
N
uclear Weapons and Disarmament. Fracking. Violence
and Guns. Climate Change and Health. Air Pollution.
Water Pollution. Restorative Justice. These are issues that
normally are not addressed in medical and other health profession
schools, but very clearly can have a significant impact on the health
and well-being of individuals and populations. These are the topics
that form the major efforts of Physicians for Social Responsibility
Philadelphia/PA and Physicians for Social Responsibility National;
they address these issues that medicine alone cannot cure.
As for the history of the organization, Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) National was founded in 1961 and soon gained
recognition by documenting the presence of Strontium-90, a highly
radioactive waste product of atmospheric nuclear testing, in children's
teeth. It was partially because of this very significant finding that the
Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty came about, leading to the end of
atmospheric nuclear testing. In 1985, the Nobel Peace Prize was
awarded to IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention
of Nuclear War), of which PSR is the United States' affiliate, for its
significant role in helping to reverse the nuclear arms race. Starting
in 1992, PSR National expanded its focus to include environmental
health issues such as climate change and pollution. Along these lines,
as a chapter of PSR National, PSR Philadelphia/PA addresses local
concerns while ensuring that its mission is in sync with that of the
national organization.
What are some of the environmental health activities conducted
by PSR Philadelphia/PA? In order to address environmental issues,
PSR Philadelphia/PA has been amongst those organizations on the
forefront of efforts to reduce climate change and to place a halt to
fracking in the state. It is widely acknowledged by the scientific
24 Philadelphia Medicine : Summer 2020
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Philadelphia Medicine Summer 2020
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