Careful reading of The Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease’s website, along with publicly available IRS filings, gives little indication that this organization is a source of expert, objective or unbiased professionally grounded information (“More Legionella bacteria found in Baltimore, as group slams city, state response,” Feb. 23). This is the quality of information that’s critically needed when public health uncertainties need to be understood by the public.
Only one degreed health professional is noted within this organization. Close reading of Internal Revenue Service filings suggests that this organizations primary function is as a District of Columbia-based, conduit for lobbying. Latest IRS reports indicate the greatest expenses (2022) went to a named lobbying firm and unnamed “consultants.” Beyond this, the source of their funding and or “membership” is less than fully transparent.
Despite well-meaning IRS regulations that restrict commercial-interest lobbying from tax exempt status, this format for special interest lobbying is not uncommon, particularly when claims are made for the public good. The Baltimore Sun should dig just a little deeper and seek balance from local, internationally recognized experts before asking readers to trust any one viewpoint, particularly with challenging (and uncertain) public health and policy issues are found, as when Legionella is sought for and then found.
— Dolph Druckman, M.D., Baltimore
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