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Rachel's Precaution Reporter #51

"Foresight and Precaution, in the News and in the World"

Wednesday, August 16, 2006...........Printer-friendly version
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Table of Contents Edition

American Nurses Association Adopts Precautionary Approach
  In October, 2003, the American Nurses Association formally adopted
  a precautionary approach, focusing on the prevention of hazards. "The
  precautionary principle states that if it is within one's power, there
  is an ethical imperative to prevent rather than merely treat disease,
  even in the face of scientific uncertainty."
The Precautionary Approach; Thinking Like a Nurse
  What does it mean for a nurse to take a precautionary approach to
  occupational hazards and to the health of patients? Charlotte Brody
  and Ann Melamed offer five specific steps a nurse can take to
  implement precaution.
The Genetically Modified Foods Debate
  Two nurses examine the issues surrounding genetically modified
  foods and conclude that, until more is known, a precautionary approach
  is called for.
An Important Ruling from the WTO on Genetically Modified Foods
  "At the heart of the dispute is the right of countries, in light of
  their international trade obligations, to control the introduction
  into their markets of GMOs.... The dispute was viewed by some as a
  contest between the environmentalists' 'precautionary principle' and
  the more traditional view that hard scientific support is needed to
  justify banning a product on the basis of health concerns."
'J'accuse!' Says a Canadian to His Government
  "I accuse the governments, federal and provincial, of deliberately
  covering up environmental degradation that will, given just a little
  more time, make this world unlivable."
Enforcing the 'Polluter Pays' Principle in South Africa
  "While the polluter pays principle is part of South Africa's legal
  framework, cases tying emissions to particular companies are rare due
  to lack of monitoring and data collection."

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  Rachel's Precaution Reporter offers news, views and practical
  examples of the Precautionary Principle, or Foresight Principle, in
  action. The Precautionary Principle is a modern way of making
  decisions, to minimize harm. Rachel's Precaution Reporter tries to
  answer such questions as, Why do we need the precautionary
  principle? Who is using precaution? Who is opposing precaution?

  We often include attacks on the precautionary principle because we  
  believe it is essential for advocates of precaution to know what
  their adversaries are saying, just as abolitionists in 1830 needed
  to know the arguments used by slaveholders.

  Rachel's Precaution Reporter is published as often as necessary to
  provide readers with up-to-date coverage of the subject.

  As you come across stories that illustrate the precautionary 
  principle -- or the need for the precautionary principle -- 
  please Email them to us at rpr@rachel.org.

  Editors:
  Peter Montague - peter@rachel.org
  Tim Montague   -   tim@rachel.org
  
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Environmental Research Foundation
P.O. Box 160, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903
rpr@rachel.org
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