Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)

Views

View

State: Published
Actions
- Copy
- Paste

NGO Profile: Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)

Founded in 1961, PSR is the medical and public health voice calling for the elimination of the gravest threats to humanity: nuclear weapons, global warming, and toxic chemicals. PSR’s work to educate the public about the dangers of nuclear war grew into an international movement with the founding of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. In 1985, PSR shared the Nobel Peace Price awarded to IPPNW for building public awareness and pressure to end the nuclear arms race. In 1992, PSR expanded its mission to apply its medical expertise to environmental health issues, in recognition that global climate change and toxic pollution also pose grave risks to human health. Since then, PSR has used expert reports, advocacy, and education campaigns to promote safe drinking water, the elimination of persistent organic pollutants, and reducing mercury exposure. PSR has also promoted renewable energy solutions and energy security.

PSR believes a medical voice emphasizing the values of caring, prevention, and ethical action is crucial to articulating the potential human costs of ineffective chemical regulation. PSR brings unique resources to the challenge of confronting toxic chemicals, including strong public confidence in the medical profession, specialized expertise in the health consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals, 31 chapters and 32,000 members across the United States, and a national staff with extensive experience in grassroots organizing. PSR is capable of generating visible and effective media, grassroots and policy impact, using the unique credibility of doctors to articulate the consequences of exposures to toxic chemicals and the policy reform that would prevent such exposures.