AMA adopts new policies to prevent future lead poisoning

In light of the devastating water crisis in Flint, Mich., communities are hyper-aware of the dangers of lead, and efforts to remove it from the nation's water supply are in full force. The American Medical Association (AMA) today adopted policy to protect the public from further exposure to lead in drinking water and its associated adverse physical and mental health consequences.

"We must do everything in our power to ensure that another Flint-like water crisis never happens again. To truly ensure that our nation's water supply is safe and free of lead, we are calling for measures to actively monitor the drinking water within our communities, require timely notification to the public when lead levels are high, and completely move away from a lead-based plumbing infrastructure," said incoming AMA President Andrew W. Gurman, M.D.