International Society for Children's Health and the Environment (ISCHE)

The International Society for Children's Health and the Environment (ISCHE) is an international organization dedicated to the protection of children from adverse environmental influences (chemical, physical, biological and social) through research, training, policy, clinical care and education. The Society also seeks to promote children's health by enhancing the quality of their environments.

Children's environmental health - the study and prevention of disease and illness in children due to exposures to social, physical, biologic and chemical agents - has been fueled by the development and validation of biomarkers, evidence that the fetus and children are particularly vulnerable to environmental influences, research linking environmental influences to prevalent disease and disabilities in children and the rapidly changing characteristics of our environments globally. The primary goals of the Society are to: promote and conduct prevention-oriented research to understand the genetic and environmental influences of disease and disability; train researchers, public health professionals, clinicians and policymakers; and foster the translation of research into policy to prevent the onset of disease or reduce exposures that lead to the exacerbations of existing disease and disability, and promote the dissemination of knowledge to children and their communities.

Eligibility for Membership
The Society is open to anyone with an interest in children's health and the environment including epidemiologists, chemists, toxicologists, clinicians, policymakers, community leaders and students.

Goals of the Society
To promote children's health by enhancing the quality of their environment;
To promote research aimed at protecting children from environmental hazards;
To promote the training of professionals in children's environmental health;
To translate and promote policies to protect children from environmental hazards;
To promote the delivery of services to promote healthy environments;
To enhance surveillance and clinical care of children with environmentally-induced disease or disability;
To inform the public about the influence of environment on children's health.

Annual Meetings
The Society will partner with ISEE and attend their annual meetings. Every third year, the Society would meet in conjunction with a separate group involving pediatricians and other clinicians.

Founding Members
We will invite 100 to 200 researchers, clinicians or educators to join the Society as founding members. Founding members would be asked to contribute $250 to help establish the Society. Founding Members from Developing Countries will be asked to contribute $100 to help establish the Society.

Announcement of the Society
We will announce the formation of the Society at the PAS meeting, to be held April 29th, 2006 and at the ISEE meeting to be held in Paris on September 4th, 2006.

Research Translation
A central function of the Society would be to establish committees to review and translate research to promote evidence-based policy, standards and educational initiatives to protect children from adverse environmental influences and promote a healthier environment. This committee would also propose research that is essential to children's health, including facilitation of pooled analyses. The committee would be composed of a standing group of scientists with 3-year tenure as well as invited scientists who have specific expertise in the environmental hazard under review. We would identify a journal (EHP) to publish the recommendations on an annual or regular interval.

• A forum to discuss problems unique to the study and control of childhood diseases and disabilities linked with the environment.
• Promote greater understanding of environmental determinants of children's health.
• Participate in annual meetings with other researchers, public health professionals, clinicians and policymakers who are working to protect children from environmental hazards;
• Subscription to EHP
• Reduced registration fee to an annual meeting with ISEE (under discussion with ISEE councilors)
• On-line Membership Directory

Dues
Founding Members: $250.00 ($100 for members from developing countries)
Regular Membership: $200.00 annually
Member from Developing Country: $50.00 annually
Student Members: $50.00 annually

Contacts:

Bruce P. Lanphear, M.D., M.P.H.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Mail Location #7035
2800 Winslow Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio
Tel: (513) 636.3778
Email: bruce.lanphear@cchmc.org

Marlene Brock
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Mail Location #7035
2800 Winslow Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio
Tel: (513) 636.7028
Email: marlene.brock@cchmc.org

Last Updated: 2006 Sept 11