American Council on Science and Health (ACSH)

Expert Bio

The American Council on Science and Health was founded in 1978 by a group of scientists who had become concerned that many important public policies related to health and the environment did not have a sound scientific basis. These scientists created the organization to add reason and balance to debates about public health issues and to bring common sense views to the public. ACSH is a national, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) consumer health education and advocacy organization based in New York City.

ACSH’s mission is to ensure that peer-reviewed mainstream science reaches the public, the media, and the decision-makers who determine public policy.  Our objective is to restore science and common sense to personal and public health decisions in order to foster a scientifically sound and sensible public health policy for the American people. ACSH is committed to improving communication and dialogue between the scientific/medical community and the public and the media, in an effort to ensure that the coverage of health issues is based on scientific facts – not hyperbole, emotion or ideology.

The nucleus of ACSH is a board of 350 physicians, scientists and policy advisors — experts in a wide variety of fields — who review the Council’s reports and participate in ACSH seminars, media communications, and other educational activities.

ACSH accomplishes its goals by producing a wide range of publications, including peer-reviewed reports on important health and environmental topics; its daily Dispatch, which provides commentary on and an analysis of breaking health and science news; and a semi-annual review of ACSH press coverage, Media Update. The organization has also produced a documentary, “Big Fears, Little Risks,” narrated by Walter Cronkite.

ACSH is continually active in the public sphere: Council representatives appear regularly on television and radio, in public debates, and in other forums. In addition, ACSH hosts media seminars and press conferences on a variety of public health issues. ACSH also provides an in-house internship program for students in health science fields and participates in legislative and regulatory hearings.

ACSH is a nonprofit institution exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax deductible as provided by law.