/PRNewswire/ -- A poll conducted in August by Lake Research Partners found Americans very concerned with how chemicals are regulated for consumer use in the U.S. The findings come as overhaul of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) will be introduced soon in both Houses of Congress.
Voters are concerned that, under TSCA, chemicals in existence prior to 1976 were grandfathered in to be used and produced in the U.S. without testing or regulation. (87 percent were somewhat or very concerned). Eighty percent of voters were concerned that the EPA was unsuccessful in banning asbestos under current law. Eighty-four percent were concerned that the EPA has mandated testing of barely 200 out of the over 80,000 on the market since 1976.
"Voters across almost all demographic and political groups said that regulations on chemicals were not strong enough," said pollster Celinda Lake. "People definitely are not confident about how chemicals are currently regulated, but they're ready to give the EPA authority to protect consumers."
Hundreds of recent scientific studies associate chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which are used in baby bottles, pacifiers, canned foods and toys, with a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, asthma, increased risk of certain types of cancer and infertility.
"The public is aware of a growing body of science linking common chemicals to chronic diseases and they're waking up to the fact that the existing law isn't working," says Andy Igrejas, director of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition. "Americans are doing their best to shop smart, but we can't protect our families without help, and without strong reforms to put common sense limits on toxic chemicals."
Majorities of Democrats, Independents and Republicans say they would support legislation that would take toxic chemicals off the market if they have been detected in babies at birth or in infants, and exposure to other known toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, that have been extensively studied, will be reduced to the maximum extent possible.
The poll was commissioned by the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent. The poll was conducted among 1,000 registered voters nationwide Aug. 25 to 31, 2009. More detailed poll results available at www.saferchemicals.org.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Showing posts with label poll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poll. Show all posts
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
76% of African-Americans Want Delay on Climate Legislation Until Economy Recovers
TT Note: One would think that Congress should realize the economy is in more dire need of help. But then, how many members of Congress will be helped in their own pocketbooks by the climate change bill?
PRNewswire/ -- 76% of African-Americans want Congress to make economic recovery, not climate change, its top priority, says a newly released nationwide poll of African-Americans conducted by the National Center for Public Policy Research.
The poll's release comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is planning a Friday vote on the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade climate bill. The legislation, if adopted, is expected to reduce aggregate GDP by $7.4 trillion in an effort to reduce global warming.
The survey of 800 African-Americans, 80% Democrats and 4% Republicans, found significant concern that government action on climate change would have a harmful and disproportionately negative impact on the African-American community.
Among the key findings:
* 38% believe job losses from climate change legislation would be felt most strongly in the black community. 7% believe job losses would fall most on Hispanics and 2% on whites;
* 56% believe Washington policymakers have failed to adequately consider economic and quality of life concerns of the black community when addressing climate issues;
* 52% of respondents don't want to pay more for gasoline or electricity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 73% are unwilling to pay more than 50 cents more for a gallon of gas; 76% are unwilling to pay more than $50 more per year for electricity;
* Black Americans are virtually deadlocked on plans to reduce emissions if it would increase prices and unemployment. 44% opposed reductions under these circumstances, 45% supported them.
* 76% want Congress to make economic recovery the top priority.
"An overwhelming majority African-Americans want Congress to fix the economy before turning its attention to climate change," said David Ridenour, vice president of The National Center for Public Policy Research, who directs the group's Center for Public Opinion Policy Center, which issued the poll.
"Significantly," Ridenour continued, "not only were 80 percent of the respondents self-identified Democrats, but 67 percent self-identified as 'strong Democrats.' As African-Americans are a core constituency of the party, if the Congressional leadership ignores this, it does so at its own peril."
The survey was conducted by Wilson Research Strategies and has a margin of error of +/- 3.4%. It can be viewed at: http://www.nationalcenter.org/BlackOpinion.html .
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
PRNewswire/ -- 76% of African-Americans want Congress to make economic recovery, not climate change, its top priority, says a newly released nationwide poll of African-Americans conducted by the National Center for Public Policy Research.
The poll's release comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is planning a Friday vote on the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade climate bill. The legislation, if adopted, is expected to reduce aggregate GDP by $7.4 trillion in an effort to reduce global warming.
The survey of 800 African-Americans, 80% Democrats and 4% Republicans, found significant concern that government action on climate change would have a harmful and disproportionately negative impact on the African-American community.
Among the key findings:
* 38% believe job losses from climate change legislation would be felt most strongly in the black community. 7% believe job losses would fall most on Hispanics and 2% on whites;
* 56% believe Washington policymakers have failed to adequately consider economic and quality of life concerns of the black community when addressing climate issues;
* 52% of respondents don't want to pay more for gasoline or electricity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 73% are unwilling to pay more than 50 cents more for a gallon of gas; 76% are unwilling to pay more than $50 more per year for electricity;
* Black Americans are virtually deadlocked on plans to reduce emissions if it would increase prices and unemployment. 44% opposed reductions under these circumstances, 45% supported them.
* 76% want Congress to make economic recovery the top priority.
"An overwhelming majority African-Americans want Congress to fix the economy before turning its attention to climate change," said David Ridenour, vice president of The National Center for Public Policy Research, who directs the group's Center for Public Opinion Policy Center, which issued the poll.
"Significantly," Ridenour continued, "not only were 80 percent of the respondents self-identified Democrats, but 67 percent self-identified as 'strong Democrats.' As African-Americans are a core constituency of the party, if the Congressional leadership ignores this, it does so at its own peril."
The survey was conducted by Wilson Research Strategies and has a margin of error of +/- 3.4%. It can be viewed at: http://www.nationalcenter.org/BlackOpinion.html .
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Consumer Reports Poll: 66% of Americans Blindsided by Cost of Drugs; Many Not Taking Needed Medications
/PRNewswire/ -- Sticker shock is taking a toll on Americans when they fill their prescriptions: 66% of those polled by Consumer Reports said they found out the cost of a drug when they picked it up at the pharmacy counter, while just 4% said they had a conversation with their doctor about the cost of a drug. And 28% of Americans told Consumer Reports they'd taken potentially dangerous actions to save money, such as not filling prescriptions, skipping dosages, and cutting pills in half without the approval of their doctor.
Cutting Corners, Not Complying With Prescriptions
"We were surprised by the extent to which consumers are cutting corners and the risks they're taking as a result of belt-tightening. Most importantly, patients need to talk to their doctors about the cost of drugs and let them know when they have difficulty paying for prescriptions," said Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. In a separate poll of Hispanic consumers, Consumer Reports found that half of Hispanic Americans are not following through on their doctors' prescriptions and nearly 3 in 10 had decided against filling a script for cost reasons.
New Magazine Identifies Proven, Cost-Effective Alternatives
The poll is being released in conjunction with Consumer Reports Best Drugs For Less, a 60-page magazine that rates more than 200 prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines for more than 20 conditions including heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and depression. Best Drugs for Less can be purchased by visiting www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org, where the ratings can be accessed for free. The ratings are part of a larger initiative by the newly launched Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center to provide consumers with health ratings based on independent and unbiased review of the best scientific evidence available.
"By every measure, and certainly through our extensive polling, it is clear that our long term economic crisis will only be solved by also fixing our nation's health-care system," said Consumers Union President Jim Guest. According to Guest, Consumers Union has been a strong advocate of increased federal funding for comparative effectiveness -- the task of comparing different options for treating a medical condition -- which received $1.1 billion in stimulus funding and is being looked at by Congress for additional funding. "Comparative effectiveness research helps patients and doctors make better choices, and will help improve our broken health-care system," said Guest.
Misgivings About Generics
When generic versions of a brand name drug are available, they are as safe and effective as the original. For brand name drugs, where a generic version is not available, in many cases doctors or pharmacists can substitute the generic version of an older drug with equivalent effectiveness (and often a longer safety record).
-- Nearly half of Americans polled (47%) had reservations or
misconceptions about taking generic drugs.
-- Forty-six percent of Americans polled by Consumer Reports said their
physician never or sometimes recommended generics.
-- Accurate information about generics is not reaching the consumers who
could benefit the most, such as those spending more than $50/month on
prescription drugs (52%).
-- In a separate Consumer Reports poll of Hispanic consumers, 43%
expressed misgivings about generics, saying they sometimes or never
work.
Americans Heeding Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising
"The pharmaceutical industry undermines generic drugs very effectively through advertising and free samples of brand-name drugs, while using more subtle tactics to tell patients and doctors that generics are something to be afraid of," said Dr. Santa.
-- One fifth of people who regularly take a prescription medication have
requested a drug from their doctor that they had seen in a drug ad and
the majority (67%) said their doctor wrote the prescription.
-- Eighty percent of the same group said they had received free drug
samples from their doctors.
Americans Perceive Undue Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry
-- Consumers perceive the undue influence of pharmaceutical companies on
their doctors. Those practices raising the greatest concern among
consumers were rewarding doctors who write a lot of prescriptions
(82%); receiving fully paid trips (77%) or gifts worth more than $50
(76%); and paying for doctors' attendance at meetings (67%).
Washington, D. C., Campaign For Comparative Effectiveness
To underscore the point that some pills work better than others -- and hence the need for rigorous comparisons -- Consumer Reports is staging a display at Union Station in Washington, D.C., from Tuesday, March 17th to Thursday, March 19th. The display at the station's main hall will be easy to spot: Just look for the giant pills running on treadmills. Copies of Consumer Reports Best Drugs For Less will be distributed at Union Station, in addition to four key metro stops, as part of a weeklong Washington D.C. campaign to raise awareness about comparative effectiveness.
Poll Methodology
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. A total of 2,004 interviews were completed among adults ages 18+ and interviewing took place January 15-19, 2009. The margin of error is +/-3.4% points at a 95% confidence level.
The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports(R) is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Cutting Corners, Not Complying With Prescriptions
"We were surprised by the extent to which consumers are cutting corners and the risks they're taking as a result of belt-tightening. Most importantly, patients need to talk to their doctors about the cost of drugs and let them know when they have difficulty paying for prescriptions," said Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. In a separate poll of Hispanic consumers, Consumer Reports found that half of Hispanic Americans are not following through on their doctors' prescriptions and nearly 3 in 10 had decided against filling a script for cost reasons.
New Magazine Identifies Proven, Cost-Effective Alternatives
The poll is being released in conjunction with Consumer Reports Best Drugs For Less, a 60-page magazine that rates more than 200 prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines for more than 20 conditions including heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and depression. Best Drugs for Less can be purchased by visiting www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org, where the ratings can be accessed for free. The ratings are part of a larger initiative by the newly launched Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center to provide consumers with health ratings based on independent and unbiased review of the best scientific evidence available.
"By every measure, and certainly through our extensive polling, it is clear that our long term economic crisis will only be solved by also fixing our nation's health-care system," said Consumers Union President Jim Guest. According to Guest, Consumers Union has been a strong advocate of increased federal funding for comparative effectiveness -- the task of comparing different options for treating a medical condition -- which received $1.1 billion in stimulus funding and is being looked at by Congress for additional funding. "Comparative effectiveness research helps patients and doctors make better choices, and will help improve our broken health-care system," said Guest.
Misgivings About Generics
When generic versions of a brand name drug are available, they are as safe and effective as the original. For brand name drugs, where a generic version is not available, in many cases doctors or pharmacists can substitute the generic version of an older drug with equivalent effectiveness (and often a longer safety record).
-- Nearly half of Americans polled (47%) had reservations or
misconceptions about taking generic drugs.
-- Forty-six percent of Americans polled by Consumer Reports said their
physician never or sometimes recommended generics.
-- Accurate information about generics is not reaching the consumers who
could benefit the most, such as those spending more than $50/month on
prescription drugs (52%).
-- In a separate Consumer Reports poll of Hispanic consumers, 43%
expressed misgivings about generics, saying they sometimes or never
work.
Americans Heeding Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising
"The pharmaceutical industry undermines generic drugs very effectively through advertising and free samples of brand-name drugs, while using more subtle tactics to tell patients and doctors that generics are something to be afraid of," said Dr. Santa.
-- One fifth of people who regularly take a prescription medication have
requested a drug from their doctor that they had seen in a drug ad and
the majority (67%) said their doctor wrote the prescription.
-- Eighty percent of the same group said they had received free drug
samples from their doctors.
Americans Perceive Undue Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry
-- Consumers perceive the undue influence of pharmaceutical companies on
their doctors. Those practices raising the greatest concern among
consumers were rewarding doctors who write a lot of prescriptions
(82%); receiving fully paid trips (77%) or gifts worth more than $50
(76%); and paying for doctors' attendance at meetings (67%).
Washington, D. C., Campaign For Comparative Effectiveness
To underscore the point that some pills work better than others -- and hence the need for rigorous comparisons -- Consumer Reports is staging a display at Union Station in Washington, D.C., from Tuesday, March 17th to Thursday, March 19th. The display at the station's main hall will be easy to spot: Just look for the giant pills running on treadmills. Copies of Consumer Reports Best Drugs For Less will be distributed at Union Station, in addition to four key metro stops, as part of a weeklong Washington D.C. campaign to raise awareness about comparative effectiveness.
Poll Methodology
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. A total of 2,004 interviews were completed among adults ages 18+ and interviewing took place January 15-19, 2009. The margin of error is +/-3.4% points at a 95% confidence level.
The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports(R) is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
