Corporations: The new(old) disease vectors as they choose profits over health

“We can invest in preventing illness now by reducing our exposure to environmental toxins — or we can pay a far higher price later trying to treat the resulting  chronic and often debilitating diseases.”

Ever since the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking book, Silent Spring, which documented the harm environmental pollution caused, government has, often reluctantly,  set limits intended to protect Americans from exposure to harmful chemicals in our food, air and water (Carson, 1964). These regulations did not emerge easily. As the governmental regulations were being proposed and implemented, they were consistently challenged by the very  large corporations that manufactured and profited from these chemicals.

History reminds us how slowly public health protections can unfold. Consider how long it took for smoking to be prohibited in public spaces even though the harmful effects had been documented since the 1950s (Doll and Hill, 1954; Doll & Hill, 1964; Wynder & Graham,1985).  For decades, the science was clear, yet policy and governmental actions were delayed. Only in the early 2000s did many states began banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and bars. The shift in public policy saved many lives and the reduction in smoking has been the major reason for the decrease in cancer mortality over the last twenty-five years.

We are going backwards

The Trump administration  has rescinded the 2009 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  endangerment finding on greenhouse gases, loosening vehicle emission standards, and weakening pollution controls on power plants and oil and gas operations (Tabuchi, 2026). The health consequences may not appear immediately; however, they are predictable. The increased exposure today will again contribute to increased rates of cancer, respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and developmental disorders tomorrow.

To understand how the government regulations have been revised so that once again Americans will be more exposed to toxins in their food, air, and water, read the superb investigative report published by U.S. Right to Know  whose mission is to pursuing truth and transparency for public health.

Their most recent report, Tracing Bayer’s ties to power in Trump’s Washington, describes in detail the hidden social connections, lobbying and political donations that lead “The White House to invokes the Defense Production Act to guarantee supplies of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. Regulators reapprove dicamba, a Bayer herbicide twice blocked by federal courts, and clear the way for new pesticides containing toxic, persistent PFAS “forever” chemicals (Malkan, 2026).“ 

When regulatory safeguards weaken, corporations can once again function as disease vectors-not through infection, but through environmental exposure. By loosening the pollution standards, federal policy will negatively affect the health of both present and future generations. 

I encourage you to explore many superb investigative reports and practical  suggestions how to avoid these toxins exposure  that are available on U.S. Right to Know website:

One exposure. Twenty generations later, the damage is still unfolding

Glyphosate: Cancer, liver disease, endocrine disruption and other health concerns

Hormone-disrupting chemicals contaminate breast milk, global review shows; scientists say breastfeeding is still best

Big Food ‘transparency’ campaign seeks to block tough new food safety laws

Ultra-processed foods damage health in ways that calories don’t explain, new study says

See also the following blogs

References

Carson, R. (1962). Silent spring. Houghton Mifflin. https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Spring-Rachel-Carson/dp/B002E8JF6G/

Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1954). The mortality of doctors in relation to their smoking habits: A preliminary report. British Medical Journal, 1(4877), 1451–1455. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4877.1451

Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1964). Mortality in relation to smoking: Ten years’ observations of British doctors. British Medical Journal, 1(5396), 1460–1467. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.5396.1460

Malkan, S. (2026). Tracing Bayer’s ties to power in Trump’s Washington. U.S. Right to Know. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://usrtk.org/pesticides/tracing-bayers-ties-to-power-in-trumps-washington/

Tabuchi, H. (2026). ​Historic Climate Rollback Makes U.S. a Global Outlier on Tailpipe Rules. The New York Times, February 16, 2026. Accessed February 24, 2026 ​https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/climate/endangerment-finding-auto-emissions-regulations.html

Wynder, E.L., & Graham, A. (1985). JAMA, 253 (20), 2986-2994. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1985.03350440064033