Ethical thinking in occupational and environmental medicine: Commentaries from the Selikoff Fund for Occupational and Environmental Cancer Research

Abstract

A tribute to Dr. Irving J. Selikoff MD, the founder of this journal, is indeed welcome now more than two decades after his passing. He was known during his lifetime as the US Father of Environmental Medicine which at the time encompassed occupational medicine and much more as industry also polluted the general environment. The 1970s were a busy time as OSHA and the EPA were newly formed and high exposures to workers were no exception. Dr. Selikoff was a brave pioneer examining workers throughout the country and Canada, publicizing their exposures, and writing and presenting the scientific results. Industry was not always receptive and controlled an astounding amount of narrative, with the creation of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine filling a void of scientific need. We four authors write about the ethics of occupational health, the plight of nuclear energy workers, the climate crisis and opportunity for unions to engage workers, and the global march toward educating medical students on workers' health and safety. All four of us interacted with Dr. Selikoff during his tenure at Mount Sinai, and over the years joined each other in promoting his legacy. Toward that end we have written articles honoring his memory.

Keywords: ethics; global warming; medical student education; nuclear workers.

Figure 1

Capacity factor by type of electricity generation, USA, 2019

Figure 2

Average annual radiation dose per worker with measured dose

Figure 3

Global surface temperature relative to 1880‐1920 Mean. 2020 12‐month running mean reaches 1.3 degrees C