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RESPIRATORY DISEASES in CHILDREN
Brussels, 1 March 2006. Respiratory diseases are a leading cause of mortality in developing countries, and one of the most common causes of illness in children of developed countries. Furthermore, asthma and allergies are increasing in a number of European countries. How can genetic and environmental factors affect a child's likelihood to develop these diseases? Non-specialists can find answers to such questions at www.greenfacts.org/respiratory-diseases/, in GreenFacts’ Three-Level Summary of a scientific report produced in late 2003 for the European Commission. Chantal Bruetschy, Head of the Health and Urban Areas Unit of DG-Environment, comments GreenFacts' publication: "We appreciate the way GreenFacts has summarised the Baseline Report on Respiratory Health drawn up by a group of scientific experts under the Environment & Health strategy. GreenFacts' summaries are faithful to our report, while making it accessible to a much wider audience". Prof. Peter Helms, co-chair of the subgroup "Respiratory Health" of the EU's Technical Working Group on priority diseases, which authored the source document, comments "I am pleased to see that the issues relevant to the respiratory health of children and to the health of the coming generations of European adults may now reach a wider audience. The challenges ahead are considerable but the health gains are surely worth the effort". GreenFacts asbl is an independent non-profit organization based in Brussels that publishes on-line faithful summaries of authoritative scientific documents on environment and health matters. GreenFacts was created in 2001 by individuals - from scientific institutions, environment and health organizations, and businesses - who called for wider access to unbiased information on environment and health issues. For further details visit www.greenfacts.org or contact Annika Åkerfelt
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