There is no longer a need to debate whether the writings of journalists such as Sharon Begley (NEWSWEEK) and Marian Burros (The New York Times) are credible or biased, because there is a global consensus among scientists addressing the toxicity of mercury, its sources and the implications of both on public health. This consensus has been documented and is available to the public. As it turns out, their writings are consistent with that consensus.

Last year, many of us joined over 1,000 of the world’s foremost mercury experts for the International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant. Together we developed a consensus declaration that addresses some of the specific points that have been raised here and elsewhere in the discussion around the New York Times article and the Oceana/Mercury Policy Project study. Many of us also have published peer reviewed scientific papers on the subject.

While the consensus declaration was not cause for tremendous alarm, it clearly highlighted the need to recognize that mercury levels in fish are cause for concern and that sensitive populations should choose low mercury fish in order to get the benefits of seafood while avoiding the risks of mercury. The consensus included the following points summarized below:

About two thirds of the mercury in our environment is derived from human activities. Mercury is highly toxic, biomagnifies in the aquatic food web and places humans at risk if they consume high levels of fish that are high on the food chain. In many populations there is evidence that current levels of exposure are sufficient to affect several physiological systems and as a result current mercury exposure levels constitute an important public health problem. Methylmercury affects nervous system development and there is sufficient evidence to warrant the prudent selection of fish in the diet, specifically for pregnant women and children. Long-lasting effects of fetal methylmercury exposure have been documented in children throughout the world.

Rather than following the selective science approach, and chasing down one or two studies that support a particular viewpoint, we recommend anyone who is truly interested should benefit from the full weight of the evidence by reading the scientific consensus in the Conference Declaration which is available here:

http://www.mercury2006.org/portals/31/Mercury2006_conferencedeclaration.pdf

Sincerely,

Henry A. Anderson, MD Chief Medical Officer Wisconsin Division of Public Health PO Box 2659 Madison, WI 53701

H.Vasken Aposhian, PhD Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology Professor of Pharmacology LSSB Rm 444 The University of Arizona PO BOX 210106 Tucson, AZ 85721-0106

David R. Brown Sc.D. Public Health Toxicologist Faculty member Applied Ethics Fairfield University Fairfield, CT

Richard W. Clapp, D.Sc., MPH Professor Boston University School of Public Health Boston, MA

Prof. Dr. Ralf Ebinghaus Department for Environmental Chemistry Institute for Coastal Research GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht Germany

Philippe Grandjean, MD, PhD Adjunct Professor of Environmental Health Department of Environmental Health Harvard School of Public Health Boston, MA

Wendy J. Heiger-Bernays, PhD Associate Professor Department of Environmental Health B.U. School of Public Health 715 Albany St. T4W Boston, MA 02118

Jane Hightower, MD California Pacific Medical Center 2100 Webster Street Suite 418 San Francisco, CA 94115

Tord Kjellstrom, Med Dr, PhD, MEng Visiting Fellow Australian National University Canberra, Australia

Lynda Knobeloch, Ph.D. Research and Toxicology Unit Leader Wisconsin Division of Public Health 1 West Wilson St, Room 150 Madison, WI 53703

Kathryn R. Mahaffey, Ph.D. Research Professor Boston University School of Public Health Boston, MA USA

Peter Maxson Director Concorde East/West Sprl 10 ave. René Gobert B-1180 Brussels, Belgium

Donna Mergler PhD professeure émérite CINBIOSE, Centre Collaborateur OMS-OPS pour la prévention des maladies reliées au travail et à l’environnement Université du Québec à Montréal CP 8888 succ Centreville Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 3P8

Dave McBride Toxicologist Office of Environmental Health Assessments Division of Environmental Health Washington State Department of Health PO Box 47846 Olympia, WA 98504-7846

John Munthe, PhD Department Head IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute Gothenburg Sweden

Lewis Pepper, MD, MPH Boston University School of Public Health 715 Albany Street, T 4 West Boston, MA 02118

Darren Rumbold, Ph. D Associate Professor of Marine Science Depart. of Marine and Ecological Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University 10501 FGCU Blvd. South Fort Myers, FL 33965

Ellen K. Silbergeld, PhD Professor, Environmental Health Sciences Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health 615 N Wolfe Street, Rm E6644 Baltimore MD 21205

Alan H. Stern, Dr.P.H., D.A.B.T. Adjunct Associate Professor Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Public Health

Raphael Stricker, MD California Pacific Medical Center 450 Sutter Street Suite 1504 San Francisco, CA 94108

Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP Assistant Professor Departments of Community and Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics Mount Sinai School of Medicine NY, NY

Pál Weihe MD Chief Physician Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health The Faroese Hospital System The Faroe Islands

Roberta F. White, PhD, ABPP/cn Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental Health Boston University School of Public Health 715 Albany St.—Talbot 4W Boston, MA 02118