Iraq birth defect data held up – petition World Health Organization to release data for independent peer review
Support Dr Samira Alaani’s Change.org petition calling for independent peer review of Iraq’s birth defect data.
Read the full press release with links to documents here:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3981379/Act4Iraq_PR.doc
#Act4Iraq
What’s the story?
The BBC has reported that a nationwide study into rates of congenital birth
defects across Iraq, which was undertaken by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) and Iraqi Ministry of Health (MoH) will make a link between areas
subject to heavy fighting in 2003 and higher rates. This will confirm reports
from doctors and hospitals across Iraq, but most notably in Fallujah, of a
serious health crisis. However publication of the results is now long overdue.
Sign the petition
SIGN: www.change.org/act4iraq
TWEET: Please sign the petition calling on @WHO to make #Iraq birth defect
data public http://www.change.org/act4iraq No more delays: time to #Act4Iraq
Why haven’t the findings been published?
Doctors and campaigners are worried that the highly political nature of the
findings are causing the WHO and MoH to delay publication. The WHO has
repeatedly changed its position, introducing more and more hurdles to
publication, as international interest in the study has increased.
What are you doing about it?
Dr Samira Alaani, a paediatrician at Fallujah General Hospital has started a
Change.org petition calling for the data to be published in an open access
journal. The petition is supported by several NGOs with an interest in
conflict and civilian protection.
Why an open access journal?
Publication in an open access journal, such as PLoS One, would mean that the
data would be scrutinised and peer reviewed independently of the WHO, it would
also be reviewed far more quickly. The process would help build public trust
in the data and findings and reduce the risk of political influence from the
WHO’s member states.
What’s the rush?
The Iraqi people have been waiting for more than 10 years for international
assistance in researching these health problems, which first emerged after the
1991 Gulf War. Even with this data, further research will be needed to
identify causes of the health problems, in the meantime Iraqi women will have
to live with the knowledge that environmental exposures during their
pregnancies may lead to their children suffering serious health problems.
What can people do about it?
The only way to ensure that the Iraqi people get the answers they need is to
support the petition and put pressure on the Iraqi MoH and WHO to make the
process of peer review as open and transparent as possible.
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Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org www.malu-aina.org
