Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
CDC has updated its blood lead reference value (BLRV) from 5 µg/dL to 3.5 µg/dL in response to the Lead Exposure Prevention and Advisory Committee (LEPAC) recommendation made on May 14, 2021.
CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is dedicated to reducing childhood lead poisoning as a public health problem through strengthening blood lead testing, reporting, and surveillance, linking exposed children to recommended services, and targeted population-based interventions.
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More Information
- Lead recalls: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) / U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Lead in housing: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Lead in the workplace: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) / Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology Surveillance Program (ABLES)
- Lead in the environment: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) / U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Pediatricians play a key role in preventing childhood lead exposure, identifying and treating lead poisoning in children, and advocating for public health measures to address the problem. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has additional information available on lead exposure and prevention.