Elizabeth Whelan
| Elizabeth M. Whelan | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | December 4, 1943 Manhattan, New York |
| Died | September 11, 2014 (aged 70) Manahawkin, New Jersey |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields |
Epidemiology Food science |
| Institutions | American Council on Science and Health |
Elizabeth M. Whelan (/ˈhwiːlən/; December 4, 1943 – September 11, 2014) was an American epidemiologist best known for challenging government regulations of the consumer products, food, and pharmaceuticals industries that arose from what she said was faulty science. In 1978, she founded the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) to provide a formal foundation for her work. She also wrote, or co-wrote, more than 20 books and over 300 articles in scientific journals and lay publications.
Whelan's advocacy encompassed numerous high-profile cases, including the so-called Delaney Clause used by the Food and Drug Administration to eliminate use of the sweetener saccharin. She was often criticized as a shill for industry, for example with respect to pesticides, growth hormones for dairy cows, PCBs, hydraulic fracturing, and Michael Bloomberg's crusade against sugary drinks. She was critical of many public interest groups that she said frightened people away from making personal choices in cases where no danger had been proved.
Before her marriage, her name was Elizabeth Ann Murphy. Born in Manhattan in 1943, she was the daughter of Marion Barret Murphy and Joseph F. Murphy and had two brothers, Kevin and Brian Murphy. Her father was a lawyer and the Commission of Insurance of New Jersey from 1982 to 1984.
Whelan was married to Stephen T. Whelan. They had one child, Christine Moyers, and two grandchildren.
Whelan enjoyed swimming and swam laps almost every day of her life until her health prevented it. Whelan was also a member of the Lotos Club, a gentleman's club, which began admitting women in 1977, with a literary and artistic bent.
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