Philip J Landrigan, MD
- PROFESSOR & CHAIR EMERITUS | Environmental Medicine & Public Health
Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., M.Sc., is a pediatrician and epidemiologist. He has been a member of the faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine since 1985 and served as Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine since from 1995 to 2015. He was named Dean for Global Health in 2010.
Dr. Landrigan graduated from Boston College in 1963 and from Harvard Medical School in 1967. He completed an internship in medicine/pediatrics at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital and a residency in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston. In 1977, he received a Diploma of Industrial Health from the University of London and a Masters of Science in Occupational Medicine degree from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He served for 15 years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer and medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). While at CDC, Dr. Landrigan served for one year as a field epidemiologist in El Salvador and for much of another year in northern Nigeria. He participated in the Global Campaign for the Eradication of Smallpox. Dr. Landrigan directed the national program in occupational epidemiology for NIOSH. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal of the US Public Health Service.
In 1987, Dr. Landrigan was elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the of the Institutes of Medicine). He is the President of Cellegium Ramazzini. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine and Editor of Environmental Research. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and 5 books. He has chaired committees at the National Academy of Sciences on Environmental Neurotoxicology and on Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children. From 1995 to 1997, Dr. Landrigan served on the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veteran's Illnesses. In 1997-1998, Dr. Landrigan served as Senior Advisor on Children's Health to the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and was instrumental in helping to establish a new Office of Children's Health Protection at EPA. From 2000-2002, Dr. Landrigan served on the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board. Dr Landrigan served from 1996 to 2005 in the Medical Corps of the United States Naval Reserve. He retired in 2005 at the rank of Captain. He continues to serve as Surgeon General of the New York Naval Militia, New York's Naval National Guard.
Dr. Landrigan is known for his many decades of work in protecting children against environmental threats to health. His research combines the tools of epidemiology with biological markers derived from clinical and laboratory medicine. Dr. Landrigan is deeply committed to translating research into strategies for health protection and disease prevention.
Dr. Landrigan is featured in the NY Times OpEd Why Are We Subsidizing Childhood Obesity?
Clinical Focus
- Environmental Pediatrics
- Lead Poisoning
Education
AB, Boston College
Diploma of Industrial Health, University of London
MSc in Occupational Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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2014
Distinguished Alumni Research Award -
2014
Distinguished Graduate Award -
2011
Frank R. Lautenberg Award in Public Health -
2011
Senator Frank R Lautenberg Annual Award in Public Health -
2009
Stephen Smith Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Public Health -
2008
Alumni Award for Professional Excellence -
2008
Irving J. Selikoff Award -
2006
Lifetime Achievement Award -
2006
Children's Environmental Health Champion Award -
2005
Health Achievement in Occupational Medicine Award -
2005
J. Lester Gabrilove Award -
2003
David P. Rall Award for Advocacy in Public Health -
2003
Jorma Rantanen Award -
2002
James Keogh Award -
2002
Jacobi Medallion -
2002
Haven Emerson Award -
2000
Award for Environmental Advocacy on Behalf of Children -
2000
William Steiger Memorial Award -
1999
Katherine Boucot Sturgis Award -
1998
Vernon Houk Award -
1995
Occupational Health and Safety Award -
1995
Herbert L. Needleman Medal and Award for Scientific Contributions and Advocacy on Behalf of Children -
1995
William Sidell Presidential Award -
1993
Harriet Hardy Award -
1985
Annual Honoree
Dr. Landrigan’s landmark studies in the early 1970s of children exposed to lead near a lead ore smelter in El Paso, Texas were among the first to show that lead can cause brain damage to children at levels too low to cause clinically evident signs and symptoms – a phenomenon now termed “subclinical toxicity.” This work was critical in persuading the EPA to remove lead from gasoline and paint, actions that resulted in a 95% decline in lead poisoning in US children. This success has been emulated in nations worldwide.
The 1993 National Academy of Science report on Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children that Dr. Landrigan led provided the blueprint for the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, the major law governing pesticide use in the US, and the only federal environmental law that contains explicit provisions for the protection of children’s health.
Dr. Landrigan has been centrally involved in the medical and epidemiologic studies that followed the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He has consulted extensively to the World Health Organization.
In the News
Dr. Landrigan and his work were recently profiled in The Daily News feature The Daily Check Up. View the PDF. Dr. Landrigan was also profiled in The Lancet in 2005. View profile.
Read the commentary by Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc, "What's Getting Into Our Children?" that appeared in the New York Times on August 4, 2009.
Hu H, Landrigan PJ, Fuller R, Lim SS, Murray CJ. New Initiative aims at expanding Global Burden of Disease estimates for pollution and climate. The Lancet. Planetary health 2018 Oct; 2(10).
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R, Fisher S, Suk WA, Sly P, Chiles TC, Bose-O'Reilly S. Pollution and children's health. The Science of the total environment 2018 Oct; 650(Pt 2).
Trasande L, Shaffer RM, Sathyanarayana S. Food Additives and Child Health. Pediatrics 2018 Aug; 142(2).
Landrigan PJ, Ringen K, Duffy R. James Melius, MD, DrPH, 1948-1918. American journal of industrial medicine 2018 May; 61(5).
Panzacchi S, Mandrioli D, Manservisi F, Bua L, Falcioni L, Spinaci M, Galeati G, Dinelli G, Miglio R, Mantovani A, Lorenzetti S, Hu J, Chen J, Perry MJ, Landrigan PJ, Belpoggi F. The Ramazzini Institute 13-week study on glyphosate-based herbicides at human-equivalent dose in Sprague Dawley rats: study design and first in-life endpoints evaluation. Environmental health : a global access science source 2018 May; 17(1).
Landrigan PJ, Belpoggi F. The need for independent research on the health effects of glyphosate-based herbicides. Environmental health : a global access science source 2018 May; 17(1).
Landrigan PJ. Lead and the heart: an ancient metal's contribution to modern disease. The Lancet. Public health 2018 Apr; 3(4).
Fuller R, Rahona E, Fisher S, Caravanos J, Webb D, Kass D, Matte T, Landrigan PJ. Pollution and non-communicable disease: time to end the neglect. The Lancet. Planetary health 2018 Mar; 2(3).
Landrigan PJ. The health and economic benefits of climate mitigation and pollution control. The Lancet. Planetary health 2018 Mar; 2(3).
Landrigan PJ, Ringen K, Duffy RM. In Memoriam: James M. Melius, MD, DrPH. Environmental health perspectives 2018 Feb; 126(2).
Landrigan PJ, Yuhasz S. In Memoriam - James M. Melius, MD, DrPH. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2018 Jan;.
Lucchini RG, Aschner M, Landrigan PJ, Cranmer JM. Neurotoxicity of manganese: Indications for future research and public health intervention from the Manganese 2016 conference. Neurotoxicology 2018 Jan; 64.
Landrigan PJ. The power of environmental protection: arsenic in drinking water. The Lancet. Public health 2017 Nov; 2(11).
Froes Asmus CI, Camara VM, Raggio R, Landrigan PJ, Claudio L. Positive correlation between pesticide sales and central nervous system and cardiovascular congenital abnormalities in Brazil. International journal of environmental health research 2017 Oct; 27(5).
Landrigan PJ. Air pollution and the kidney-implications for control of non-communicable diseases. The Lancet. Planetary health 2017 Oct; 1(7).
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R, Acosta NJ, Adeyi O, Arnold R, Basu NN, Baldé AB, Bertollini R, Bose-O'Reilly S, Boufford JI, Breysse PN, Chiles T, Mahidol C, Coll-Seck AM, Cropper ML, Fobil J, Fuster V, Greenstone M, Haines A, Hanrahan D, Hunter D, Khare M, Krupnick A, Lanphear B, Lohani B, Martin K, Mathiasen KV, McTeer MA, Murray CJ, Ndahimananjara JD, Perera F, Potočnik J, Preker AS, Ramesh J, Rockström J, Salinas C, Samson LD, Sandilya K, Sly PD, Smith KR, Steiner A, Stewart RB, Suk WA, van Schayck OC, Yadama GN, Yumkella K, Zhong M. The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. Lancet (London, England) 2017 Oct;.
Lemen RA, Landrigan PJ. Toward an Asbestos Ban in the United States. International journal of environmental research and public health 2017 Oct; 14(11).
Landrigan PJ. Pesticides and Human Reproduction. JAMA internal medicine 2017 Oct;.
Birnbaum LS, Suk WA, Landrigan PJ. In Memoriam: Herbert L. Needleman. Environmental health perspectives 2017 Sep; 125(9).
Vandenberg LN, Blumberg B, Antoniou MN, Benbrook CM, Carroll L, Colborn T, Everett LG, Hansen M, Landrigan PJ, Lanphear BP, Mesnage R, Vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Myers JP. Is it time to reassess current safety standards for glyphosate-based herbicides?. Journal of epidemiology and community health 2017 Jun; 71(6).
Baur X, Woitowitz HJ, Budnik LT, Egilman D, Oliver C, Frank A, Soskolne CL, Landrigan PJ, Lemen RA. Asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer: The Helsinki criteria for diagnosis and attribution. Critical need for revision of the 2014 update. American journal of industrial medicine 2017 May; 60(5).
Martin K, Landrigan PJ. Healthy People, Healthy Ecosystems. Annals of global health 2017 Jan-Feb; 83(1).
Lucchini RG, Hashim D, Acquilla S, Basanets A, Bertazzi PA, Bushmanov A, Crane M, Harrison DJ, Holden W, Landrigan PJ, Luft BJ, Mocarelli P, Mazitova N, Melius J, Moline JM, Mori K, Prezant D, Reibman J, Reissman DB, Stazharau A, Takahashi K, Udasin IG, Todd AC. A comparative assessment of major international disasters: the need for exposure assessment, systematic emergency preparedness, and lifetime health care. BMC public health 2017 Jan; 17(1).
Landrigan PJ. Air pollution and health. The Lancet. Public health 2017 Jan; 2(1).
Horn SR, Pietrzak RH, Schechter C, Bromet EJ, Katz CL, Reissman DB, Kotov R, Crane M, Harrison DJ, Herbert R, Luft BJ, Moline JM, Stellman JM, Udasin IG, Landrigan PJ, Zvolensky MJ, Southwick SM, Feder A. Latent typologies of posttraumatic stress disorder in World Trade Center responders. Journal of psychiatric research 2016 Sep; 83.
Bennett D, Bellinger DC, Birnbaum LS, Bradman A, Chen A, Cory-Slechta DA, Engel SM, Fallin MD, Halladay A, Hauser R, Hertz-Picciotto I, Kwiatkowski CF, Lanphear BP, Marquez E, Marty M, McPartland J, Newschaffer CJ, Payne-Sturges D, Patisaul HB, Perera FP, Ritz B, Sass J, Schantz SL, Webster TF, Whyatt RM, Woodruff TJ, Zoeller RT, Anderko L, Campbell C, Conry JA, DeNicola N, Gould RM, Hirtz D, Huffling K, Landrigan PJ, Lavin A, Miller M, Mitchell MA, Rubin L, Schettler T, Tran HL, Acosta A, Brody C, Miller E, Miller P, Swanson M, Witherspoon NO. Project TENDR: Targeting Environmental Neuro-Developmental Risks The TENDR Consensus Statement. Environmental health perspectives 2016 Jul; 124(7).
Feder A, Mota N, Salim R, Rodriguez J, Singh R, Schaffer J, Schechter CB, Cancelmo LM, Bromet EJ, Katz CL, Reissman DB, Ozbay F, Kotov R, Crane M, Harrison DJ, Herbert R, Levin SM, Luft BJ, Moline JM, Stellman JM, Udasin IG, Landrigan PJ, Zvolensky MJ, Yehuda R, Southwick SM, Pietrzak RH. Risk, coping and PTSD symptom trajectories in World Trade Center responders. Journal of psychiatric research 2016 Jul; 82.
Martin K, Landrigan PJ. Global Health's Grand Challenge: A Healthy Planet and Healthy People. Annals of global health 2016 May-Jun; 82(3).
Kappil MA, Li Q, Li A, Dassanayake PS, Xia Y, Nanes JA, Landrigan PJ, Stodgell CJ, Aagaard KM, Schadt EE, Dole N, Varner M, Moye J, Kasten C, Miller RK, Ma Y, Chen J, Lambertini L. In utero exposures to environmental organic pollutants disrupt epigenetic marks linked to fetoplacental development. Environmental epigenetics 2016 Mar; 2(1).
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R. Pollution, health and development: the need for a new paradigm. Reviews on environmental health 2016 Mar;.
Portier CJ, Armstrong BK, Baguley BC, Baur X, Belyaev I, Bellé R, Belpoggi F, Biggeri A, Bosland MC, Bruzzi P, Budnik LT, Bugge MD, Burns K, Calaf GM, Carpenter DO, Carpenter HM, López-Carrillo L, Clapp R, Cocco P, Consonni D, Comba P, Craft E, Dalvie MA, Davis D, Demers PA, De Roos AJ, DeWitt J, Forastiere F, Freedman JH, Fritschi L, Gaus C, Gohlke JM, Goldberg M, Greiser E, Hansen J, Hardell L, Hauptmann M, Huang W, Huff J, James MO, Jameson CW, Kortenkamp A, Kopp-Schneider A, Kromhout H, Larramendy ML, Landrigan PJ, Lash LH, Leszczynski D, Lynch CF, Magnani C, Mandrioli D, Martin FL, Merler E, Michelozzi P, Miligi L, Miller AB, Mirabelli D, Mirer FE, Naidoo S, Perry MJ, Petronio MG, Pirastu R, Portier RJ, Ramos KS, Robertson LW, Rodriguez T, Röösli M, Ross MK, Roy D, Rusyn I, Saldiva P, Sass J, Savolainen K, Scheepers PT, Sergi C, Silbergeld EK, Smith MT, Stewart BW, Sutton P, Tateo F, Terracini B, Thielmann HW, Thomas DB, Vainio H, Vena JE, Vineis P, Weiderpass E, Weisenburger DD, Woodruff TJ, Yorifuji T, Yu IJ, Zambon P, Zeeb H, Zhou SF. Differences in the carcinogenic evaluation of glyphosate between the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Journal of epidemiology and community health 2016 Mar;.
Suk WA, Ahanchian H, Asante KA, Carpenter DO, Diaz-Barriga F, Ha EH, Huo X, King M, Ruchirawat M, da Silva ER, Sly L, Sly PD, Stein RT, van den Berg M, Zar H, Landrigan PJ. Environmental Pollution: An Under-recognized Threat to Children's Health, Especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Environmental health perspectives 2016 Mar; 124(3).
Myers JP, Antoniou MN, Blumberg B, Carroll L, Colborn T, Everett LG, Hansen M, Landrigan PJ, Lanphear BP, Mesnage R, Vandenberg LN, Vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Benbrook CM. Concerns over use of glyphosate-based herbicides and risks associated with exposures: a consensus statement. Environmental health : a global access science source 2016 Feb; 15(1).
Miller MD, Marty MA, Landrigan PJ. Children's Environmental Health: Beyond National Boundaries. Pediatric clinics of North America 2016 Feb; 63(1).
Landrigan PJ, Sly JL, Ruchirawat M, Silva ER, Huo X, Diaz-Barriga F, Zar HJ, King M, Ha EH, Asante KA, Ahanchian H, Sly PD. Health Consequences of Environmental Exposures: Changing Global Patterns of Exposure and Disease. Annals of global health 2016 Jan-Feb; 82(1).
Froes Asmus CI, Camara VM, Landrigan PJ, Claudio L. A Systematic Review of Children's Environmental Health in Brazil. Annals of global health 2016 Jan-Feb; 82(1).
Takahashi K, Landrigan PJ. The Global Health Dimensions of Asbestos and Asbestos-Related Diseases. Annals of global health 2016 Jan-Feb; 82(1).
Sly PD, Carpenter DO, Van den Berg M, Stein RT, Landrigan PJ, Brune-Drisse MN, Suk W. Health Consequences of Environmental Exposures: Causal Thinking in Global Environmental Epidemiology. Annals of global health 2016 Jan-Feb; 82(1).
Landrigan PJ. Eula Bingham, PhD: Former Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, US Department of Labor. American journal of industrial medicine 2016 Jan; 59(1).
Landrigan PJ. Children's Environmental Health: A Brief History. Academic pediatrics 2015 Oct;.
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R, Horton R. Environmental pollution, health, and development: a Lancet-Global Alliance on Health and Pollution-Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Commission. Lancet (London, England) 2015 Oct; 386(10002).
Landrigan PJ. Irving J. Selikoff, MD January 15, 1915-May 20, 1992. American journal of industrial medicine 2015 Sep;.
Heacock M, Kelly CB, Asante KA, Birnbaum LS, Bergman AL, Bruné MN, Buka I, Carpenter DO, Chen A, Huo X, Kamel M, Landrigan PJ, Magalini F, Diaz-Barriga F, Neira M, Omar M, Pascale A, Ruchirawat M, Sly L, Sly PD, Van den Berg M, Suk WA. E-Waste and Harm to Vulnerable Populations: A Growing Global Problem. Environmental health perspectives 2015 Sep;.
Heindel JJ, Balbus J, Birnbaum L, Brune-Drisse MN, Grandjean P, Gray K, Landrigan PJ, Sly PD, Suk W, Cory Slechta D, Thompson C, Hanson M. Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: Integrating Environmental Influences. Endocrinology 2015 Aug;.
Landrigan PJ, Benbrook C. GMOs, Herbicides, and Public Health. The New England journal of medicine 2015 Aug; 373(8).
Lucchini RG, Landrigan PJ. Occupational Health and Safety in the Expanding Economies: Severe Challenges and the Need for Action Through Education and Training. Annals of global health 2015 Jul-Aug; 81(4).
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R. Global health and environmental pollution. International journal of public health 2015 Jul;.
Landrigan PJ, Wright RO, Cordero JF, Eaton DL, Goldstein BD, Hennig B, Maier RM, Ozonoff DM, Smith MT, Tukey RH. The NIEHS Superfund Research Program: Twenty-Five Years of Translational Research for Public Health. Environmental health perspectives 2015 May;.
Ringen K, Landrigan PJ, O Stull J, Duffy R, Melius J, McDiarmid MA. Occupational safety and health protections against Ebola virus disease. American journal of industrial medicine 2015 May;.
Laborde A, Tomasina F, Bianchi F, Bruné MN, Buka I, Comba P, Corra L, Cori L, Duffert CM, Harari R, Iavarone I, McDiarmid MA, Gray KA, Sly PD, Soares A, Suk WA, Landrigan PJ. Children's Health in Latin America: The Influence of Environmental Exposures. Environmental health perspectives 2015 Mar; 123(3).
Landrigan PJ, Suk WA. Jenny Pronczuk de Garbino: A Global Champion for Children's Health. Environmental health perspectives 2015 Mar; 123(3).
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R. Environmental pollution: An enormous and invisible burden on health systems in low- and middle-income countries. World Hospitals and Health Services 2014; 50(4).
Laborde A, Tomasina F, Bianchi F, Bruné MN, Buka I, Comba P, Corra L, Cori L, Duffert CM, Harari R, Iavarone I, McDiarmid MA, Gray KA, Sly PD, Soares A, Suk WA, Landrigan PJ. Children's Health in Latin America: The Influence of Environmental Exposures. Environmental health perspectives 2014 Dec;.
Landrigan PJ, Fuller R. Environmental pollution and occupational health in a changing world. Annals of global health 2014 Jul-Aug; 80(4).
Sly PD, Neira M, Collman G, Carpenter DO, Landrigan PJ, Van Den Berg M, Barriga FD, Ruchirawat M, Laborde A, Pascale A, Heacock M, Dalmau MT, Suk WA. Networking to advance progress in children's environmental health. The Lancet. Global health 2014 Mar; 2(3).
Landrigan pj. What causes autism? Exploring the environmental contribution. Curr Opin Pediatr 2010; 22(2).
Fleisch a, Sheffield p, Chinn c, Edelstein b, Landrigan pj. Bisphenol A and Related Compounds in Dental Materials. Pediatrics 2010;.
Landrigan pj, Trasande l, Thorpe le. The National Children's Study: A 21-year prospective study of 100,000 American children. Pediatrics 2006; 118(5).
Grandjean p, Landrigan pj. Developmental Neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals: A silent pandemic. Lancet 2006; 368(9553).
Herbert r, Moline j, Skloot g, Metzger k, Baron s, Luft b, Markowitz s, Udasin i, Harrison d, Stein d, Todd a, Enright p, Stellman jm, Landrigan pj, Levin s. The World Trade Center Disaster and the Health of Workers: Five-Year Assessment of a Unique Medical Screening Program. Environ Health Perspect 2006; 114.
Landrigan pj, Lioy pj, Berkowitz G, Chen lc, Chillrud cn, Georgopoulos pg, Geyh as, Levin s, Perera f, Rappaport sm, Small c, Thurston g. Health and Environmental Consequences of the World Trade Center Disaster. Environ Health Perspect 2004; 112.
Landrigan pj, Schechter cb, Lipton jm, Fahs mc, Schwartz j. Environmental pollutants and disease in American children: Estimates of morbidity, mortality and costs for lead poisoning, asthma, cancer and developmental disabilities. Environ Health Perspect 2002; 110.
Landrigan pj, Carlson je. Environmental policy and children's health. The Future of Children 1995; 5.
Leigh jp, Markowitz sb, Fahs m, Shin c, Landrigan pj. Occupational injury and illness in the United States. Estimates of costs, morbidity, and mortality. Arch Intern Med 1997; 157.
Landrigan pj, Gehlbach sh, Rosenblum bf, Shoults jm, Candelaria rm, Barthel wf, Liddle ja, Smrek al, Staehling nw, Sanders jf. Epidemic lead absorption near an ore smelter: the role of particulate lead. New Engl J Med 1975; 292.
Landrigan pj, Whitworth rh, Baloh rw, Barthel wf, Staehling nw, Rosenblum bf. Neuropsychological dysfunction in children with chronic low-level lead absorption. Lancet 1975;.
Landrigan pj. Epidemic measles in a divided city. JAMA 1972 Aug; 221(6).