About ACSH > ACSH

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 and 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, press conferences, 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; HealthFactsAndFears.com; 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 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.

AS 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.

"On one issue after another in recent years, ACSH has stood as a bulwark against the contemporary Luddites who see the beginning of civilization's end in every technological advance that reaches the market place."
- Edwin Feulner, President The Heritage Foundation

"The list of the ACSH's accomplishments is long, and lately some politicians in Washington-for a change-have begun to listen to ACSH's plea to examine the science before imposing new regulations."
- Ogden Newspapers (a large midwestern newspaper chain)

"The New York-based American Council on Science and Health as usual is speaking out."
- The Wall Street Journal (in an editorial on bST in milk)

"ACSH's list of board of directors and scientific and policy advisors reads like a page from Who's Who."
- Pennsylvania Intelligencer

"It’s hard to get people away from the extreme positions. That's why I support ACSH so much...I believe it's one of the most centrist and most intellectually honest groups we've got today!"
- Dr. Michael Osterholm, infectious diseases expert