Information on DDT and Malaria

On January 23, 2003, ABC ran "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity," a special program produced by John Stossel. The program debunked many common myths, but most importantly it challenged the myth that the pesticide DDT is a public health threat. Stossel showed that radical environmentalist attacks on DDT as well as politically correct U.S. Agency for International Development policies against funding of DDT mean that millions of children in the developing world needlessly die every year from malaria.

Hopefully, by uncovering the lies about DDT, Stossel's program can help influence this debate. Environmental extremists have pushed for an international ban of DDT as part an international treaty (the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants also called the POPS Treaty). Because of objections from public health experts and officials, DDT gained a temporary exemption for malaria control. But the battle continues because radical greens continue to undermine use of DDT by spreading myths and because regulations in the POPs treaty limit access to DDT as millions continue to die.

The fact that environmental extremists perpetuate this public health crisis should be headline news, but until now, the network television news media have ignored this story. Thanks to Stossel, many more Americans are informed.

Express your support of Stossel's coverage by contacting John Stossel and by registering your support on the 20/20's comment board for this program. If you missed the program, you can purchase a copy of the show. ABC charges a fee for online viewing of its programs; SupportJohnStossel.org and its sponsor, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, do not benefit financially if you purchase or pay to view the show online. We are just providing the link for your convenience.

The links below will assist those who want more information on the DDT scandal.

Background on Malaria and International DDT Regulation

• World Health Organization, Malaria: Fact Sheet.
• Competitive Enterprise Institute's brief (see pages 95-98) on the POPs Treaty.
• CEI article (pages 8-9) of CEI's Monthly Planet) on the POPs Treaty and Congress.
• Article by Roger Bate on public health dangers posed by the POPS Treaty.

• In an open letter, public health experts, including three Nobel Prize winners, call for limited DDT use to address the malaria crisis. Check out the list of signatories.
• Competitive Enterprise Institute.
• Africa Fighting Malaria. AFM offers a wealth of information and links.
• Malaria Foundation International. See their DDT page.
• Congress for Racial Equality Rallies against Greenpeace's anti-DDT activism.
• American Council on Science and Health. See The DDT Ban Turns 30.
  
  

• Richard Tren and Roger Bate, When Politics Kills: Malaria and the DDT Story.
• A. G. Smith, "How Toxic is DDT?" Lancet, July 22, 2000, pp. 267-268.
• Amir Attaran and Rajendra Maharaj, "Doctoring Malaria, Badly: The Global Campaign to Ban DDT" British Medical Journal, December 2, 2000, pp. 1403-1405.
• Donald R. Roberts et al., "DDT, Global Strategies, and a Malaria Control Crisis in South America," Emerging Infectious Diseases, July-September 1997.
• Amir Attaran et al., "Balancing Risks on the Backs of the Poor," Nature Medicine 2000, pp. 729-731.
• Donald R. Roberts et al., "DDT House Spraying and Re-Emerging Malaria," Lancet 2000, vol. 356, pp. 330-32.
• Publications of Roger Bate on CEI's website.
• Paul Driessen, "Give the Gift of Life," on Tech Central Station, January 7, 2004.