Tackling the research challenges of health and climate change.

摘要

Ebi et al. (2009) presented a timely and important analysis of the federal investment in research focused on understanding, avoiding, preparing for, and adapting to the health impacts of climate variability and change. The authors argued that the public health community is inadequately prepared to address the health risks associated with climate variability and change, and that funding necessary to address this challenge is inadequate. Ebi et al. (2009) were particularly critical of die National Institutes of Health (NIH) for overstating its investments in research on the health impacts of climate change, citing a 2007 NIH spending report of Dollars 164 million for Health Effects of Climate Change. We would like to respond by highlighting two current activities of the NIH that address these issues: the Trans-NIH Working Group on Climate Change and Health (led by the FIC) and an interagency working group on climate change and health (led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences). Both activities are in midstream, but we plan to have initial products and recommendations available by the fall 2009.