Professor Herbert L Needleman M.D.

Professor Herbert L.Needleman, is professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, U.S.A. He has made significant contributions to the understanding and prevention of childhood lead poisoning. Through a series of epidemiologic studies, Professor Needleman found that even in the low dose exposure, lead can cause irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system of children with resultant lifelong loss of intelligence, alteration of behavior and impairment of health.
The findings by Professor Needleman have had major implications for public health policy and influenced the campaign to reduce the use of lead, a major component in industrial products, such as children’s toys, interior paint and gasoline. His findings also provided the stimulus to nations around the world including Thailand to remove lead form gasoline supplies. In all, Professor Needleman has made an extraordinary contribution to the betterment of public health worldwide.