Title: The Enduring Legacy of Lead Poisoning
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM -7:30 PM Pacific Time
Location: Zoom
Physician Lead/Moderator: Dr. Cindy Russell
Speaker: Dr. Bruce Lanphear

Lead, as we know, is a persistent and pervasive toxic metal. It impairs brain development, contributes to ADHD in children, and increases the risk of hypertension and heart disease in adults. No safe level of lead exposure has been identified. Yet, leads role in disease and premature death remains underrecognized, and public health protections have been too little and too late. While lead exposure has declined by more than 95% since the 1970s in the United States population and  low-level lead poisoning has declined since its peak in the 1960s,  its harmful legacy remains—especially in low-income communities and in industrializing countries where environmental risks are often greatest. The body burden of lead is still 10 to 100 times higher than in preindustrial times. Lead continues to be found in some foods, water and imported children’s toys.  This talk will examine the history and legacy of lead and how children and adults continue to be exposed to lead, providing an update on the health effects of chronic, low-level lead poisoning.

BiographyDr. Lanphear  

Dr. Bruce Lanphear is a revered expert on children’s environmental health and has dedicated his career to protecting children from a variety of toxic exposures.  For 30 years, Dr. Bruce Lanphear has studied how lead, fluoride, pesticides, and other chemicals affect human health. His research helped shape federal standards for lead in air, water, and house dust, and proved that no amount of lead is safe. A professor at Simon Fraser University, Bruce has advised the EPA, CDC, Health Canada, and other federal agencies. He’s testified before Congress and the Canadian House of Commons,pushing for stronger protections against toxic exposure. He’s also taken his expertise beyond academia. He founded Little Things Matter, a social media project that translates complex science into clear, compelling videos. Their goal? To show how even small chemical exposures shape our health—and to spark action before harm is
done.

For registration assistance or questions, please contact Emily at emily@sccma.org