Tuesday, August 31, 2010

US grapples with bedbugs, misuse of pesticides

[Comment:  The last thing in the world anyone should be applying to their bed is pesticide of any kind!]

US grapples with bedbugs, misuse of pesticides
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioPwXC10YqCaNpR9YhvGB9lWpheAD9HU16TO1

"A resurgence of bedbugs across the U.S. has homeowners and apartment dwellers taking desperate measures to eradicate the tenacious bloodsuckers, with some relying on dangerous outdoor pesticides and fly-by-night exterminators."

B.C. author preaches reducing wireless radiation by using cell phones less


"Kerry Crofton travels with a land line phone, purposely stays in hotels that don't offer wireless Internet in rooms and when she gives her talk tonight on the topic of wireless radiation, it will be in a downtown Vancouver venue selected because it purportedly has no such radiation."

VA eases rules allowing Vietnam vets to get treatment for Agent Orange exposure

VA eases rules allowing Vietnam vets to get treatment for Agent Orange exposure
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/30/AR2010083005206.html
 
"The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing for more than 150,000 Vietnam War veterans to apply for benefits in the next 18 months thanks to new regulations making it easier to compensate for health problems caused by exposure to the Vietnam-era defoliant Agent Orange."

Study: Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancer

Study: Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancer
http://www.seattlepi.com/environment/412260_dailygreen591279.html

"As if links to Parkinson's disease, diabetes and obesity, cancer, low sperm counts and other reproductive health problems, and childhood developmental problems and diseases were not enough ... or that pesticide residue is common on foods, or that that children are even more susceptible than previously thought, or that pesticides stick around in the home for decades after being used, or that the EPA is slow to remove known toxic pesticides from the market, and doesn't require chemical makers to even list toxic "inert" ingredients ... now there's another reason to avoid using pesticides around the home."

Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act

Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act
"Introducing the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 (H.R. 5820) in the US House of Representatives was just the first step. To keep this bill moving, we need your help recruiting co-sponsors.

The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act will reform America's broken and outdated toxic chemicals policy by requiring chemical manufacturers to prove that their products are safe before they reach our shelves.

We need your help today

Please take a moment to complete the short form below to ask your Representative to co-sponsor this historic bill. Our elected officials need to hear from their constituents that this is important."
 

Monday, August 30, 2010

Under fire from industry, scientific panel is 'gutted'

[Comment:  Always follow the money... and so we lose objectivity and human health is sacrificed for profit yet again.]
 

"Five out of nine members of a scientific panel that advises the state on toxic chemicals have been fired in recent weeks, following disputes with the chemical industry and a conservative group that targets environmental laws.
 
Panel members, including Froines, have come under fire over the years when their designation of certain substances as toxic came at a cost to industry."

Toxic spill at Texas BP plant caused respiratory problems

Toxic spill at Texas BP plant caused respiratory problems

"Texas City - The toxic spill at a Texas BP plant may have caused people to develop respiratory problems. A class action suit is being filed by the residents in the town."

Swine flu vaccine safety probed over link to rare sleep disorder


"The safety of a swine flu vaccine is to be investigated by European drugs regulators after it was linked to a rare condition that causes people to fall asleep suddenly."

Science & Environmental Health Network - Precautionary Principle: Rachel's Precaution Reporter

Sunday, August 29, 2010

9/11's forgotten victims: 'We're living in a toxic time bomb'

9/11's forgotten victims: 'We're living in a toxic time bomb'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1306032/9-11s-Toxic-time-bomb.html

"The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001 are seared on our collective consciousness. But few people know that the tragedy left a toxic legacy that will claim more lives than those lost on the day itself.
 
Lorien Haynes reports on the fight for health and justice by rescue workers who were engulfed by the deadly dust cloud."

NEWSLETTER: MCS America News - September 2010

MCSA NEWS
August 2010, Volume 5, Issue 9

Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/september2010.pdf   (View, Download, and Print)

 

Direct Links to Articles Inside This Issue:

 

Environmental and Health Impacts of the Gulf Oil Spill And Necessary Resources for the Healthcare Provider

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg12345678910.pdf

 

How BP Avatars Show Up in Your Life

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg111213141516.pdf

 

Time to Look at Your Home in a Different Light:  The Bedroom, Part 2

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg17181920.pdf

 

The Ethics of Human Pesticide Experimentation

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg2122.pdf

 

Autoimmune Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA)

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg23.pdf

 

Factors Leading to Allergy and Asthma

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg24.pdf

 

CPAP Improves Gulf War Illness

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg25.pdf

 

Nanosilver Approved for Clothing

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg2627.pdf

 

Patient Support & Resources

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg2829303132333435.pdf

 

Community News

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg36.pdf

 

Featured Research Studies

http://mcs-america.org/september2010pg373839.pdf

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities America

http://www.mcs-america.org

admin@mcs-america.org

 

Copyrighted © 2010  MCS America

 

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Is Your Furniture Hazardous to Your Health? 4 Lessons to Learn About Formaldehyde

Is Your Furniture Hazardous to Your Health? 4 Lessons to Learn About Formaldehyde
http://life.gaiam.com/gaiam/p/Is-Your-Furniture-Hazardous-to-Your-Health-4-Lessons-to-Learn-About-Formaldehyde.html

"There is no good logic that can explain to the consumer why formaldehyde — a chemical that is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. government's Center for Disease Control (CDC) — is still on the market without any federal standards for emissions allowed in homes (except for prefabricated or mobile homes). Its toxicity was news to many."

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Social Security employees attribute symptoms to mold, ductwork

Social Security employees attribute symptoms to mold, ductwork
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_3a84a93a-b233-11df-8e8a-001cc4c03286.html

"Social Security employees attribute symptoms to mold, ductwork.  An air quality study of the building at 605 Main St., conducted after second-floor employees there expressed health concerns, found evidence of mold in the basement and frayed fiberglass insulation in the air ducts."
 
 
 
 

Cash register receipts contain BPA, a disputed toxic chemical

"Bisphenol-A or BPA is a chemical used in the making of plastic bottles and containers.  Some say the chemical is toxic, and now it is being found in something all of us carry - regular old cash register receipts."

Friday, August 27, 2010

Katrina Five Years After: Hurricane Left a Legacy of Health Concerns

Katrina Five Years After: Hurricane Left a Legacy of Health Concerns
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,600309,00.html

"Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf region, killing nearly 2,000 and displacing more than 250,000 others from Louisiana to Florida. This week, in a series titled "Hurricane Katrina: Five Years After," FoxNews.com looks back on the costliest natural disaster ever to strike the United States."

The transgenerational impact of benzo(a)pyrene on murine male fertility.

[Comment:  The major indoor sources of airborne benzo[a]pyrene are wood combustion and tobacco smoking.]

The transgenerational impact of benzo(a)pyrene on murine male fertility.

Mohamed ES, Song WH, Oh SA, Park YJ, You YA, Lee S, Choi JY, Kim YJ, Jo I, Pang MG. Hum Reprod. 2010 Aug 21. [Epub ahead of print]
Department of Animal Science and Technology and BET Institue, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, South Korea.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is an endocrine toxicant that is widely distributed in the environment. The adverse effects of BaP on fertility are well documented, however its effects on fertility in the subsequent generations are not known. We aimed to investigate the transgenerational effects of BaP on male fertility in mice.
 
METHODS Six-week-old male mice (F0) were orally administered BaP (1 or 10 mg/kg body weight) or corn oil, daily for 6 weeks. The male mice were mated with untreated female mice to produce F1 offspring. The F2 and F3 progeny were produced in a similar manner. Testes and spermatozoa were collected from 14-week-old F0, F1, F2 and F3 males in order to assess male fertility parameters, namely testis histology, sperm count, sperm motility and sperm penetration (sperm penetration assay).
 
RESULTS Oral administration of a high dose of BaP induced testicular malformation and decreased numbers of seminiferous tubules with elongated spermatids for three generations studied (i.e. F0 to F2) with significant decreases in F0 and F2. It also significantly decreased sperm motility in F0. BaP significantly decreased sperm count in the group treated with a high dose of BaP in all generations except the F3 generation. The sperm fertility index (SFI) also decreased significantly for two generations. Of the fertility parameters measured, sperm count and SFI were the more sensitive parameters in our study.
 
CONCLUSIONS Exposure to BaP decreases the fertilization potential of exposed males and has an adverse impact on sperm function and fertility in subsequent generations. The BaP effect on fertility can be described as a transgenerational effect for F2 generation.

PMID: 20729536 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Nine toxic chemicals join banned 'dirty dozen': UN agency

Nine toxic chemicals join banned 'dirty dozen': UN agency
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gpklpS1FaKZ8aJ35l2qYV5carI_g

"The UN said Thursday an insecticide used in farming and to treat woodworm, Lindane, was among nine highly toxic chemicals added to a "dirty dozen" of dangerous substances on an international red list."

Irritable bowel syndrome result of low level inflammation of gut wall

Irritable bowel syndrome result of low level inflammation of gut wall
http://www.ei-resource.org/news/irritable-bowel-syndrome-news/irritable-bowel-syndrome-result-of-low-level-inflammation-of-gut-wall/ 
 
"Evidence of a physical cause for the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have long eluded medical science but now a team of researchers has identified signs of low level inflammation of the gut wall in sufferers."

Whose lipstick is it, anyway? The hidden health costs of (toxic) cosmetics

[Comment:  Listen to the recorded session at:  http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2010/08/26/whose-lipstick-is-it-anyway-the-hidden-health-cost/]

Whose lipstick is it, anyway? The hidden health costs of (toxic) cosmetics
http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2010/08/26/whose-lipstick-is-it-anyway-the-hidden-health-cost/

A model has eye make-up applied in preparation for The Royal College of Art Fashion Show on June 10, 2010 in London, England.

These days, health-conscious consumers are extremely careful about everything they put in their bodies – foods made with natural, organically grown ingredients, free of toxic chemicals, help us feel we're doing the best we can for our health. But what about the products we spray, rub and lather on our bodies? Shampoos, deodorants, lotions and cosmetics, which may contain potentially carcinogenic ingredients, receive very little oversight by the FDA. A new bill introduced in Congress this year aims to give the FDA the power to regulate personal care products. Not surprisingly, the bill has received opposition by the industry, which is pumping separate – less intrusive – legislation. How much do you know about your shampoo? How much do you want to know

Guests:
Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of Not Just A Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry
John E. Bailey, Ph.D.¸ Chief Scientist, Personal Care Products Council

Forum: Toxic toys plague families

"Toxic chemicals in toys and children's products continue to be a problem for Michigan families. Since January 2009 there have been three million recalls for lead in toys, and McDonald's recently recalled 12 million promotional Shrek glasses due to dangerous levels of cadmium. Lead and cadmium can permanently impact brain development in young children."

Highly Anticipated Study Is Second to Link Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Retrovirus

Highly Anticipated Study Is Second to Link Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Retrovirus
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/727496 
"The authors of a new study that found a strong association between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and a group of mouse retroviruses closely related to XMRV, or xenotropic murine leukemia virus–related virus, offered possible explanations for the varying results among different research laboratories in Europe and the United States.
 
The research team did prove that MLV infection persists. As a follow-up to using frozen blood samples obtained from patients with CFS nearly 15 years ago, the investigators obtained fresh blood samples from 8 of the 32 MLV-positive patients, and 7 again tested positive for the retrovirus. "It was the same virus, but it had mutated, as a retrovirus does," Dr. Alter said.

Virus sequences seen in their patient samples were polytropic, not xenotropic, and were more diverse than those reported by the Nevada group, according to Dr. Alter. This variability is characteristic of a retrovirus and boosted the authors' confidence that laboratory contamination was not responsible for their findings, he said during the media briefing."

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Calif. lawmakers limit cadmium in kids' jewelry

Calif. lawmakers limit cadmium in kids' jewelry
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/25/state/n161727D89.DTL

"Children's jewelry sold in California could not legally contain more than minuscule amounts of the toxic metal cadmium under a bill lawmakers approved Wednesday."

Study Finds Even a Little Cigarette Smoke Harms Airway

Study Finds Even a Little Cigarette Smoke Harms Airway
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_102428.html

"Just a few puffs trigger genetic changes in cells that could spur disease, experts say"

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

TELECONFERENCE: School Health Policies and Program Study 2006: Healthy Physical School Environment

TELECONFERENCE:  School Health Policies and Program Study 2006: Healthy Physical School Environment
http://www.aaidd.org/ehi/content_3919.cfm?navID=306
 
Tuesday August 31, 2010
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Sponsor: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Environmental Health Initiative
As society continues to focus on the importance of academic achievement, the physical environment of schools should be addressed as one of the critical factors that influence academic outcomes. The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) is a national survey periodically conducted to assess school health policies and programs at the state, district, school and classroom levels. SHPPS 2006 provides a comprehensive look at the extent to which schools have health-promoting physical school environment policies and programs. This presentation will provide an overview of SHPPS and findings for topics such as inspection of school physical facilities; school plans for dealing with mold and moisture-related issues; indoor air-quality management; pest management procedures; purchase of low-emitting products; testing of drinking water; and the use, labeling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. This is a rescheduling of a teleconference from mid July.

Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org

SEMINAR: Doesn't It Make You Sick?

SEMINAR:  Doesn't It Make You Sick?
http://www.ppaction.org/ppaow/events/spokaneevent_2010_2100004/details.tcl

Saturday August 28, 2010
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Spokane, Washington
at the Spokane Public Library, South Hill Branch
Sponsor: Planned Parenthood

Hey Spokane! Learn how to avoid toxic chemicals. Harmful chemicals are in our homes, workplaces, and in products we use every day. But current federal law does not protect you and your family. In fact, health and safety testing has been required on only 200 of the 80,000 chemicals on the market. Chemicals in our everyday lives can harm your reproductive health and the health of our kids. Hear a short presentation, visit information tables about green cleaning, safe baby bottles, how you can help make change, and more. Bring in a toy or another item made of wood, plastic or metal from your home and have it checked for harmful chemicals by the XRF testing machine. Learn about which products to watch out for as you shop. and there will be activities for children. Reservations are requested by noon on the day of the event.

Contact: Planned Parenthood, ppaction@ppnetworkwa.org

The Poisons All Around Us

The Poisons All Around Us
http://njtoday.net/2010/08/25/the-poisons-all-around-us/

"Lately I've been reminded of an old campfire skit. The leader is speaking calmly to the gathered campers when someone races in with arms flailing, shouting: "Help! Help! It's all around me!" The host reacts with genuine concern: "What's all around you?!" The intruder smiles, shrugs and replies nonchalantly: "The air."

Goofy, I know, but I've recently been experiencing that same feeling. Not about the air, but about chemical substances – 80,000 potentially toxic synthetic substances in current use in the U.S, of which only 200 or so have been safety tested by our government."

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Radiation, Risks Are Focus of Breast Screening Studies

Radiation, Risks Are Focus of Breast Screening Studies
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/science/24breast.html?_r=1

"When Dr. Deborah Rhodes orders a diagnostic test that involves radiation, she consults a chart in her office that lists the amount of radiation exposure from each test. She considers the patient's total past exposure, and then carefully weighs the risks and benefits of each test and any alternative approaches she can take."

Toxic showdown between Feds, chemical industry

Toxic showdown between Feds, chemical industry
 
"OTTAWA – The government is getting ready for battle with the chemical industry over a silicone additive widely used in makeup and personal care products, breaking out a never before used process to decide whether it's safe for the environment."

Natural mosquito repellents healthier than chemical sprays

Natural mosquito repellents healthier than chemical sprays
http://www.thelabradorian.ca/Columns/Beverly-Nippard/2010-08-23/article-1690925/Natural-mosquito-repellents-healthier-than-chemical-sprays/1

"This year I found those pesky mosquitoes and black flies to be quite plentiful in the local area. Since I've developed an allergy where one nip from a mosquito develops into a huge blister on my skin, I find them to be particularly bothersome. So I've been going to great lengths to avoid the flies. I've been staying indoors a lot of times when I would much rather be outside enjoying seasonal activities like gardening and barbecuing."

Widely Used Herbicide, Atrazine, Causes Prostate Inflammation in Male Rats and Delays Puberty

Widely Used Herbicide, Atrazine, Causes Prostate Inflammation in Male Rats and Delays Puberty
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100824110852.htm

"A new study shows that male rats prenatally exposed to low doses of atrazine, a widely used herbicide, are more likely to develop prostate inflammation and to go through puberty later than non-exposed animals. The research adds to a growing body of literature on atrazine, an herbicide predominantly used to control weeds and grasses in crops such as corn and sugar cane. Atrazine and its byproducts are known to be relatively persistent in the environment, potentially finding their way into water supplies."

Monday, August 23, 2010

P.A.N.D.O.R.A. NeuroEndocrineImmune (NEI) Center Resolution Approved by the New Jersey State Senate

P.A.N.D.O.R.A. NeuroEndocrineImmune (NEI) Center Resolution Approved by the New Jersey State Senate
http://www.benzinga.com/press-releases/10/07/r381431/p-a-n-d-o-r-a-neuroendocrineimmune-nei-center-resolution-approved-by-th?quicktabs_1=0

"Resolution SR-20 supporting the establishment of the NeuroEndocrineImmune (NEI) Center™, the first research center in the state of New Jersey and in the U.S., dedicated to understanding and treating chronic neuroendocrineimmune (NEI) illnesses which includes chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, Gulf War Illness and other bacterial & viral infections chronic illnesses was passed unanimously by 38-0 votes by the New Jersey State Senate on June 10, 2010."

Study Links Chronic Fatigue to Virus Class

Study Links Chronic Fatigue to Virus Class
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/health/research/24fatigue.html?_r=1  

"When the journal Science published an attention-grabbing study last fall linking chronic fatigue syndrome to a recently discovered retrovirus, many experts remained skeptical — especially after four other studies found no such association.

Now a second research team has reported a link between the fatigue syndrome and the same class of virus, a category known as MRV-related viruses. In a paper published Monday by The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists found gene sequences from several MRV-related viruses in blood cells from 32 out of 37 chronic-fatigue patients but only 3 of 44 healthy ones."

Tell the FDA to keep antibiotics out of our food.

"When people get sick, they have to go to the doctor to get an antibiotic prescription. But that rule doesn't hold true for animals raised for meat. Alarmingly, up to 70% of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used on industrial farms in healthy food animals.1 This massive overprescription is breeding new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can -- and have -- spread to humans. The trend is frightening. Currently, more people die in the U.S. from antibiotic-resistant staph infections than from AIDS, and antibiotics continue to decline in effectiveness for treating both human and animal diseases."

4 Kids Die After Vaccination

4 Kids Die After Vaccination
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/4-Kids-Die-After-Vaccination/articleshow/6390002.cms

"Four children died in Mohanlalganj tehsil of Lucknow during a routine immunisation camp on Saturday afternoon. The children died soon after they were administered measles vaccine followed by drops of Vitamin A solution, prompting parents to blame the vaccine for their deaths."

Scientists to Discuss Research on XMRV in Blood, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Scientists to Discuss Research on XMRV in Blood, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2010/cc-23.htm

"Telebriefing by experts from the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to respond to questions about this study. The paper is currently under embargo until Monday, August 23 at 3:00 p.m., by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

The validity of the environmental neurotoxic effects of toxigenic molds and mycotoxins .

E. C. Anyanwu.  The validity of the environmental neurotoxic effects of toxigenic molds and mycotoxins . The Internet Journal of Toxicology. 2008 Volume 5 Number 2

Abstract
 
The problems and controversies about the validity of environmental neurotoxic health effects of toxigenic mold and mycotoxin exposures have taken a center stage in scientific, legal, social, and political discourse to which important basic scientific truth has been misrepresented by subjective "double talk" in recent years. Fortunately, the scientific truth is characterized by objectivity and systematic organization based on compelling pieces of evidence. This paper reviews the relevant, most recent peer reviewed literatures that support the validity of the environmental risks and adverse neurotoxic health effects of chronic exposures to toxigenic molds and mycotoxins. The structures of typical mycotoxins are cited to show the relevance of functional groups, and how their biochemical activities may contribute to adverse health effects in relation to signs, symptoms, and mechanisms. The proven interactions between the biological system and the molecular functional groups of mycotoxins are evaluated to explain how they may lead to neurotoxic health effects in terms of carcinogenic, biochemical, immunological, neurophysiological and behavioral properties. Based on all the relevant affect factors, there are huge compelling pieces of evidence derived by exposure conditions, clinical presentations, scientific laboratory investigations, and the development of science of nanotoxicology, that support the validity of adverse environmental neurotoxic health effects of toxigenic mold and mycotoxins.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Hoosier warns about CCA's dangers


"A Ripley County man is reminding and warning Hoosiers about the dangers posed by CCA treated lumber."

PowerPoint Presentation: Breathe Easier: Hold the Fragrances

PowerPoint Presentation
Breathe Easier: Hold the Fragrances
http://www.mcs-america.org/perfumev3.ppt
 

An Open Letter from Dr. Doris Rapp

[Comment:  Forwarded and Posted with Full Permission. Permission further granted for recipients to foward.]

August 18, 2010

Dear Friends,

I wonder if you would be willing to help me.  Together we might be able to help tens of thousands of children. Alone I seem to do able to do very little.

We Need To Get The Following Information To Our Schools:

Dear ------,

·      Dust, mold, pollen, foods and chemicals certainly can cause much more than cause asthma and hay fever. As you all know allergies can take on many forms and often affects how children feel, act, behave, walk, talk, write, draw, and especially learn.   Many different areas of the brain can be affected.

·      There is no doubt that it is possible to raise academic performance and attendance, while lowering  infection, allergies, hyperactivity,  behavior problems and drop outs. This can all be done while the expenditures of the schools are being reduced.  This is a win/win for students, teachers. 

·      As many know, when children can't or won't learn, there is a tendency to blame the teachers or mothers or the children for being "inadequate, dumb, bad and lazy."   Actually the answer could simply be a missed diagnosis of allergy. If the schools would recognize and attempt to reduce the major environmental allergens interfering with student performance, we could really do a vast amount of good.

    What Can We Do To Educate Those In Power To Make Changes?

·      If we could figure out some way to encourage Mrs. Michelle Obama, with my DVD entitled Environmentally Sick Schools (ESS), to spearhead the message, she could absolutely change the future of a vast numbers of children, all over the world.   The ESS DVD shows how affected children look, write, act, behave, and has specific examples of children of various ages reacting to dust, mold, pollen, foods and chemicals.  Some suggestions are as simple as asking all children to write before and after each class, or lunch, at school.  If the writing changes, what exposure caused the change? Some answers are that simple.  I have already sent Mrs. Obama the ESS DVD and my books without any response.

I have many testimonials of children successes; one boy was told he could not get through grammar school, and he went to college!  Another had an IQ of 57 that rose to over 125 after her allergies were found and treated, and she completed college.

I have prayed and thought about it and finally decided to see if everyone on my mailing list would write a letter, come up with other ideas, and send the above information to everyone on their personal mailing lists, we might be able to move some mountains and get the information out.  My web site is too small to do much and Facebook is really not a place to get information of this type out.

·      I will also try to send the ESS tape and my book "The Impossible Child at School and Home" to the Commissioners of Education of all the states, if it is not too costly.

·      I   cannot afford to send the DVD and book to all if you, but if you pay for postage and mailing, I can have the DVD's made and I'll also send you the book, until the books are all gone.  Just E- mail me that you want the DVD and I will arrange it.  I can E-mail you a PowerPoint Presentation, with DVD's inserted showing writing changes and the effects of dust, mold, pollen, foods, and chemicals, however, if the videos will transfer to your operating system.

I am most anxious to hear from you.  Send mail to drrapp.assistant@gmail.  Please send me a copy of any letter you decide to send to your own e-mail "family".   You can cut and paste from this letter as you like.

When I look at all the proof I have that absolutely documents that allergies are a big piece of the present day education problem, I feel immensely discouraged.  Since 1975, when I learned about Provocation/Neutralization allergy testing and treatment, I have videotaped thousands of children and absolutely can show how common allergens, including foods and chemicals, can adversely affect how children feel and learn.   If I asked 1000 doctors, mothers or teachers, however, I doubt if any would be aware of the immense role  allergies  plays in a the chances of children being able to reach their full academic or physical potential.

Allergies are typically due to foods, dust, mold, pollen, and chemicals. Here is how fast and easy it can sometimes be to resolve some children's problems. 

1.      To find food problems in 5-7 days, many children would be better if they did the Multiple Food Elimination Allergy Diet in any of Dr. Rapp's books.   www.drrapp.com

2.      To resolve the dust, mold, pollen and chemical problems, in one or very few days, an air purifier can often help.  There is one that takes out 3000 chemicals. Call 1.800.787.8780 for more details.

I am most anxious to hear from you if you have some any other creative, original ideas to figure out how we can get the information out to the educational systems in the USA, please let me know.

Many thanks,
Doris J. Rapp M.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (emeritus) at SUNYAB
Board Certified in Pediatrics, Allergy and Environmental Medicine
Fax: 480.659.9500

Proof That a Gut-Wrenching Complaint -- Irritable Bowel Syndrome -- Is Not in Your Head

Proof That a Gut-Wrenching Complaint -- Irritable Bowel Syndrome -- Is Not in Your Head
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819141950.htm 

"Irritable bowel syndrome makes life miserable for those affected -- an estimated ten percent or more of the population. And what irritates many of them even more is that they often are labeled as hypochondriacs, since physical causes for irritable bowel syndrome have never been identified."

PRESENTATION: Poisoned for Profit: How Toxins Are Making our Children Chronically Ill author, Alice Shabecoff!

[Comment: This exciting presentation will be in San Francisco, CA. Alice, the presenter, says, "I want to stress that, though this format might make it sound as if this is an informational session, I will ensure that we discuss the most important part, as I see it, the ways in which we can join together to change the basic system that results in toxic assaults everyday everywhere."]

WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW

ABOUT TOXINS



Join us for an informative morning to learn:


How toxins –pesticides, pollution, plastics, parabens - affect children's health

What you can do to reduce your family's toxic exposures

How the U.S. economic and regulatory system is failing to protect us

How we can change the system together


Presentation Alice Shabecoff, Author


Poisoned for Profit: How Toxins Are Making our Children Chronically Ill (www.poisonedforprofit.net)


Followed by a panel discussion with:


Michael Green, Center for Environmental Health

Stacy Malkan, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

Renee Sharp, Environmental Working Group


Lots of time for your questions!


Q & A moderated by Christine Gardner of www.moregreenmoms.com


Date: Thursday, September 30, 2010

Time: 10 AM to Noon

Where: The Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park (Orchid Annex)


Get there: www.conservatoryofflowers.org/visit/directions


RSVP: http://www.ewg.org/poisoned_for_profits

The Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory is an excellent diagnostic tool for chemical sensitivity

The Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory is an excellent diagnostic tool for chemical sensitivity
http://www.thecanaryreport.org/2010/08/20/the-quick/

"The QEESI can help you with self-diagnosis or in working with your physician on a diagnosis of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity."

Saturday, August 21, 2010

"In My Shoes" story contest for CFS/FM

"In My Shoes" story contest for CFS/FM

The "In My Shoes" story contest is now open for entries at http://www.cfsknowledgecenter.ning.com/page/story-contest.

By sharing your story, you allow others to walk a mile in your shoes and gain a glimpse into your life and experiences living with ME/CFS and/or FM. In the process, you are helping others to more fully understand you, the diseases and how to cope with them.

The contest is open to anyone with ME/CFS or FM or anyone who has had experience in supporting or caring or living with someone with ME/CFS or FM.

Learn more at
http://www.cfsknowledgecenter.ning.com/page/story-contest.
 

Gulf oil spill plume stretches 22 miles, not breaking down much

Gulf oil spill plume stretches 22 miles, not breaking down much
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0819/Gulf-oil-spill-plume-stretches-22-miles-not-breaking-down-much

"US and Australian scientists measured the plume from the Gulf oil spill during a research cruise. The findings are published Thursday.  A plume of oil some 700 feet thick and at least 22 miles long has been detected deep beneath the Gulf of Mexico. It originated at the Deepwater Horizon blowout and consists of hydrocarbons from the well, according to measurements released Thursday."

Toxic epidural ravages mother

[Comment:  I cannot even imagine how antiseptic cleaning fluid could be mixed up with an epidural drug. This is unbelievable!]
 
Toxic epidural ravages mother
http://www.smh.com.au/national/toxic-epidural-ravages-mother-20100820-1390i.html

"Patient's husband tells of anguish.  The husband of a patient who was mistakenly injected with cleaning fluid during an epidural speaks of his wife's pain and suffering."

Friday, August 20, 2010

Locals Track Gulf Oil Spill's Health Impacts, Paving Way for Federal Study

Locals Track Gulf Oil Spill's Health Impacts, Paving Way for Federal Study
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/19/19greenwire-locals-track-gulf-oil-spills-health-impacts-pa-41267.html

"That tracking work can be slow-going, as the group's volunteers station themselves in convenience stores, marinas, and bars where residents of the state's rural southern bayous congregate. The group's two-page survey, which focuses on unusual symptoms experienced following oil or dispersant exposure and attempts to control for over-the-counter medication use, has produced anecdotal reports of health problems that respondents did not initially realize.
But though the surveys may not yield a scientific conclusion about the oil leak's long-term fallout, local nonprofits such as the brigade -- one of several groups around the country that teach communities how to test for air toxics using little more than a bucket and a hand-held vacuum -- are poised to become key players as the federal government begins to track the health consequences faced by Gulf residents recruited into BP PLC's sprawling cleanup operation."
 
 

BP Settlements Likely to Shield Top Defendants

BP Settlements Likely to Shield Top Defendants
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/us/20spill.html

"People and businesses seeking a lump-sum settlement from BP's $20 billion oil spill compensation fund will most likely have to waive their right to sue not only BP, but also all the other major defendants involved with the spill, according to internal documents from the lawyers handling the fund."

Reanimated 'Junk' DNA Is Found to Cause Disease

Reanimated 'Junk' DNA Is Found to Cause Disease
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/science/20gene.html?_r=1

"The human genome is riddled with dead genes, fossils of a sort, dating back hundreds of thousands of years — the genome's equivalent of an attic full of broken and useless junk.

Some of those genes, surprised geneticists reported Thursday, can rise from the dead like zombies, waking up to cause one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy. This is the first time, geneticists say, that they have seen a dead gene come back to life and cause a disease."

'ASIA' - Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants.

[Comment:  Adjuvants are substances added to vaccines to cause the immune system to react more strongly.  ASIA is another new name for this group of illnesses caused by toxic chemicals.]

'ASIA' - Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants.

Shoenfeld Y, Agmon-Levin N.
J Autoimmun. 2010 Aug 12. [Epub ahead of print]

The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Department of Medicine B' Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Incumbent of the Laura Schwarz-kipp chair for research of autoimmune diseases, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Abstract
The role of various environmental factors in the pathogenesis of immune mediated diseases is well established. Of which, factors entailing an immune adjuvant activity such as infectious agents, silicone, aluminium salts and others were associated with defined and non-defined immune mediated diseases both in animal models and in humans. In recent years, four conditions: siliconosis, the Gulf war syndrome (GWS), the macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome (MMF) and post-vaccination phenomena were linked with previous exposure to an adjuvant. Furthermore, these four diseases share a similar complex of signs and symptoms which further support a common denominator.Thus, we review herein the current data regarding the role of adjuvants in the pathogenesis of immune mediated diseases as well as the amassed data regarding each of these four conditions. Relating to the current knowledge we would like to suggest to include these comparable conditions under a common syndrome entitled ASIA, "Autoimmune (Auto-inflammatory) Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants".

PMID: 20708902 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Does exposu re to indoor allergens contribute to the development of asthma and allergy?

Does exposure to indoor allergens contribute to the development of asthma and allergy?
Arshad SH.
Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2010 Jan;10(1):49-55.
Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity Research Division, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, 810 Level F, South Block, Southampton, United Kingdom. sha@soton.ac.uk
Abstract
Common indoor allergens include house dust mite, cockroach, animal dander, and certain molds. In genetically susceptible children, exposure to these indoor allergens during the critical postnatal period may lead to sensitization in early childhood. Consistent evidence indicates that children sensitized to common indoor allergens are at several-fold higher risk of asthma and allergy. Due to conflicting evidence from prospective studies, some doubt remains regarding a direct and dose-response relationship between exposure and development of asthma. However, in recent years, evidence has accumulated that exposure to indoor allergen causes asthma and allergy, but this effect may depend on dose and type of allergen as well as the underlying genetic susceptibility of the child.

PMID: 20425514 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The effect of nasal co ntinuous positive airway pressure on the symptoms of Gulf War illness.

The effect of nasal co ntinuous positive airway pressure on the symptoms of Gulf War illness.

Amin MM, Gold MS, Broderick JE, Gold AR.
Sleep Breath. 2010 Aug 19. [Epub ahead of print]
Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care/Sleep Medicine, (111D), DVA Medical Center, Northport, NY, 11768, USA, mohammad.amin2@va.gov.

Abstract

PURPOSE: We performed a pilot study to determine whether nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) alleviates the symptoms of veterans with Gulf War illness (GWI) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB).
METHODS: Eighteen male veterans with GWI and SDB recruited by advertisement, participated in a randomized, single-masked, sham-controlled treatment trial. Participants received 3 weeks of treatment during sleep with either therapeutic nasal CPAP or sham nasal CPAP. Using validated questionnaires, pain, fatigue, cognitive function, sleep disturbance, and general health were assessed by self-report before and after treatment. One of the participants assigned to therapeutic CPAP was excluded from the trial before starting treatment, leaving 17 participants.
RESULTS: Compared to the nine sham nasal CPAP recipients, the eight participants receiving therapeutic nasal CPAP experienced improvements in pain (34%; p = 0.0008), fatigue (38%; p = 0.0002), cognitive function (33%; p = 0.004), sleep quality (41%; p = 0.0003), physical health (34%; p = 0.0003), and mental health (16%; p = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings in this pilot study suggest that nasal CPAP may greatly improve symptoms in veterans with GWI and SDB.
PMID: 20717848 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas.

[Comment: I have read stories written by pesticide experiment subjects who placed their head in a small chamber and had pesticide sprayed right at their face and subsequently suffered permanent health effects.  These subjects all expressed that they thought the trials were safe and they would not be put in any danger.  I don't think this could ever be considered an ethical practice, nor could anyone give truly give informed consent knowing how toxic pesticides are.  Pesticides are designed to kill.  They are not safe for humans, especially children and small pets.  There are safer alternatives to pesticides.  Need more be said?  Please see http://www.panna.org/documents/boxer.20050627.pdf for a  history of human pesticide experimentation.]
 
Environ Health. 2010 Aug 18;9(1):50. [Epub ahead of print]

The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas.
London L, Coggon D, Moretto A, Westerholm P, Wilks MF, Colosio C.
Abstract
ABSTRACT: The controversy about the use of data from human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides as part of regulatory risk assessment has been widely discussed, but the complex and interrelated scientific and ethical issues remain largely unresolved. This discussion paper, generated by authors who comprised a workgroup of the ICOH Scientific Committee on Rural Health, reviews the use of human experimental studies in regulatory risk assessment for pesticides with a view to advancing the debate as to when, if ever, such studies might be ethically justifiable. The discussion is based on three elements: (a) a review of discussion papers on the topic of human testing of pesticides and the positions adopted by regulatory agencies in developed countries; (b) an analysis of published and unpublished studies involving human testing with pesticides, both in the peer-reviewed literature and in the JMPR database; and (c) application of an ethical analysis to the problem. The paper identifies areas of agreement which include general principles that may provide a starting point on which to base criteria for judgements as to the ethical acceptability of such studies. However, the paper also highlights ongoing unresolved differences of opinion inherent in ethical analysis of contentious issues, which we propose should form a starting point for further debate and the development of guidelines to achieve better resolution of this matter.

PMID: 20718963 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Ontario Parents Group Charges That School WiFi is Making Children Sick

Ontario Parents Group Charges That School WiFi is Making Children Sick
http://healthcare.tmcnet.com/topics/healthcare/articles/95856-ontario-parents-group-charges-that-school-wifi-making.htm

"File this one in the "more things you didn't need to worry about" drawer. A parents' group in Simcoe County, Ontario, north of Toronto, is demanding that their local school system turn off the WiFi (News - Alert) on school campuses, claiming it makes their children suffer from a host of health problems, including dizziness, rashes, headaches, nausea, night sweats, hyperactivity, insomnia and even racing hearts. The parents point to evidence that the children's symptoms disappear on weekends and during school holidays, and have even offered to pay for the switch from WiFi equipment to wireline."

Essential Principles for Reform of Chemicals Management Legislation

Essential Principles for Reform of Chemicals Management Legislation
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/principles.html

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to working with the Congress, members of the public, the environmental community, and the chemical industry to reauthorize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  The Administration believes it is important to work together to quickly modernize and strengthen the tools available in TSCA to increase confidence that chemicals used in commerce, which are vital to our Nation's economy, are safe and do not endanger the public health and welfare of consumers, workers, and especially sensitive sub-populations such as children, or the environment."

EPA to Take Action on Chemicals Used in Dyes, Flame Retardants, and Industrial Detergents

EPA to Take Action on Chemicals Used in Dyes, Flame Retardants, and Industrial Detergents
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/
Efforts to limit exposure and reduce harm to people
 
"As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's commitment to strengthen and reform chemical management, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released action plans today to address the potential health risks of benzidine dyes, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and nonylphenol (NP)/nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). The chemicals are widely used in both consumer and industrial applications, including dyes, flame retardants, and industrial laundry detergents. The plans identify a range of actions the agency is considering under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)."

EPA May Give 1st Approval of Nanosilver for Fabrics

[Comment: Buyers beware.]

EPA May Give 1st Approval of Nanosilver for Fabrics
http://www.aolnews.com/nanotech/article/epa-may-give-1st-approval-of-nanosilver-for-fabrics/19598390

"A Swiss chemical producer may soon be the first company to receive approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use nanosilver to make clothing smell better, stay cleaner and destroy germs."

Website publicizes cancer map, environmental data

"A pair of state legislators on Wednesday showed an improved version of a website mapping cancer instances statewide as well as buildings and other facilities holding chemicals, gases or producing air emissions."

Contra Costa County equips preschoolers with tracking devices

[Comment:  Contra Costa County equips preschoolers with tracking devices.  Isn't this going a big too far.  They take wi-fi out of schools over EMF problems and replace it with RFD devices???]

Contra Costa County equips preschoolers with tracking devices
http://www.news10.net/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=91362&catid=5

"Officials are outfitting preschoolers in Contra Costa County with tracking devices they say will save staff time and money."

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Is Wi-Fi a health risk at schools?: MacDonald

Is Wi-Fi a health risk at schools?: MacDonald
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/moira_macdonald/2010/08/18/15066996.html

"Darn. Just when I figured out how to connect my wireless Internet, all hell breaks loose. Ever since stories emerged last week about the risks of Wi-Fi'ed classrooms to students I've been disconnecting my router nightly, situated just on the other side of the wall from where my kid sleeps."

Insecticide to be banned - three decades after tainted melons sickened 2,000 people

Insecticide to be banned – three decades after tainted melons sickened 2,000 people
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/aldicarb-phaseout

"Twenty-five years after the worst known outbreak of pesticide poisoning in U.S. history, an agreement is announced that phases out all uses of aldicarb. Manufacturer Bayer CropScience agreed to stop producing the highly toxic insecticide, used to kill pests on cotton and several food crops, by 2015 in all world markets. Use on citrus and potatoes will be prohibited after next year. New EPA documents show that babies and children under 5 can ingest levels of the insecticide through food and drinking water that exceed limits that the agency considers safe. "Aldicarb no longer meets our rigorous food safety standards and may pose unacceptable dietary risks, especially to infants and young children," the EPA said. At least 2,000 people fell ill from eating California watermelons illegally contaminated with aldicarb on the Fourth of July in 1985. "It is good the revocation is happening; it is a shame it took 20 years," said Richard Jackson, chair of environmental health sciences at UCLA, who was a top state health official during the outbreak."

Englebright Measure Banning BPA Signed into Law

Englebright Measure Banning BPA Signed into Law
http://threevillage.patch.com/articles/englebright-measure-banning-bpa-signed-into-law

"State bans children's products containing bisphenol-A, which can cause growth problems in children."

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Are Indoor Risk

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Are Indoor Risk
http://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20100805/endocrine-disrupting-chemicals-are-indoor-risk?page=2

"Researchers Find EDC Levels Are Higher Indoors Than Outdoors"

ACTION: Tell Toys "R" US and Wall Street to Stop Profiteering from Toxic Toys!

Tell Toys "R" US and Wall Street to Stop Profiteering from Toxic Toys!
https://secure3.convio.net/ibt/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=479

"Despite promises to reduce toxic chemicals in toys, new testing shows that Toys "R" Us continues to sell products made out of polyvinyl chloride or PVC, the poison plastic, without adequate cautionary labeling for parents. Chemicals released during PVC's lifecycle are linked to chronic diseases on the rise in children including asthma, learning disabilities, obesity and cancer.

Now Wall Street bankers are set to profit from the sale of this toxic asset! KKR, the private equity firm that owns Toys "R" Us, is planning to sell $800 million worth of Toys "R" Us stock. But offloading Toys "R" Us without putting an end to toxic toys will further entrench irresponsible business practices at Toys "R" Us that put children's health at risk.

Help us hold Toys "R" Us responsible for selling toxic toys. Tell Toys "R" Us and Wall Street to stop the public sale of Toys "R" Us until the company agrees to label toxic toys and eliminates poison plastic from its toys.

Your message will be sent to executives at Toys "R" Us, KKR, Bain Capital, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Vornado Realty Trust, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank Securities, Wells Fargo Securities, Needham & Company, Mizuho Securities, BMO Capital Markets and Daiwa Capital Markets."
 

MCS support group in Pasadena, Maryland


A support group is forming for people living and coping with multiple chemical sensitivity to discuss the difficulties involved in living day to day with environmental illnesses.

Also known as chemical intolerance, chemical sensitivity and toxicant-induced loss of tolerance, MCS is an illness or disease where previous chemical exposure appears to initiate a wide range of sensitivities.

For details, call 410-360-5063.

Inhaling Ultra-Fine Particles May Raise Firefighters' Heart Risks

Inhaling Ultra-Fine Particles May Raise Firefighters' Heart Risks
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_102238.html

"More consistent use of protective gear recommended by researchers"

Memo from Alison Johnson: Chemical Sensitivity Foundation

Memo from Alison Johnson: Chemical Sensitivity Foundation

 

With talk about ideal national organizations for the chemically sensitive circulating, this seems an appropriate time to send out the following message, which I hope you will share with others on list serves or in groups to which you belong.

 
The Chemical Sensitivity Foundation, which I chair, is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation that in the last nine years has represented MCS interests in what I think has been a fairly effective way, given the difficulty of raising money in this field. That difficulty relates to two problems. First, people with MCS are for the most part extremely short of money and therefore are not in a position to donate much to our cause. Second, mainstream foundations and wealthy people are not likely to donate large sums until MCS is more widely accepted. These potential donors will hesitate to donate to the cause when they learn that the medical community in general is quite skeptical about MCS. 
 
When I decided to found the Chemical Sensitivity Foundation in 2001, I asked people to be on the board whom I knew very well. Most I had known for many years. I had met almost all of them in person, been in their homes in several cases, and had talked with them by phone frequently, so I had a good idea about who was well-informed, effective, reasonable, and reliable. I chose people who had been dealing with MCS as patients or the spouse of a patient for many years, usually a couple of decades. All but one had a proven track record of major national contributions to the MCS community; their names and reputation were widely known among the chemically sensitive. This group has worked together so well that no one has left the board since we founded the CSF nine years ago.
 
One important aspect of the Chemical Sensitivity Foundation is that the other board members have the power to vote me out of office at the annual meeting. We also list the name of each board member on our website, together with where they live. I know of no other MCS foundation that can vote its leader out of office; most other MCS foundations do not list their board members.
 
During the last year, the CSF has been responsible for getting copies of my book Amputated Lives: Coping with Chemical Sensitivity into the hands of every member of Congress, every governor, and every member of the state legislatures of California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Indiana, Nebraska, and Washington. (Targeted donations from residents of those particular states paid for the latter books.) We also sent copies to the top 30 department heads at the EPA and the top dozen at the NIEHS and the ATSDR. If you are not familiar with my book, you may want to read excerpts on my website, www.alisonjohnsonmcs.com. The Foreword by Dr. Christine Oliver, a professor at Harvard Medical School, is particularly useful in giving the book some credibility with people outside the MCS community. Over the years, copies of my other two books and my documentaries, Gulf War Syndrome: Aftermath of a Toxic Battlefield and The Toxic Clouds of 9/11: A Looming Health Disaster, have also been given to every member of Congress. My 9/11 film contains interviews with three members of Congress and with experts who have major standing nationally outside of the MCS community. My Gulf War Syndrome film was accompanied by a letter of endorsement from Ross Perot, and Congressman Jerry Nadler (Ground Zero district) provided this endorsement for my 9/11 film: "I wish every politician and policymaker could see this moving and powerful film."
 
One very important aspect of the CSF website, www.chemicalsensitivityfoundation.org, is the extensive bibliography of research on chemical sensitivity that has been published in peer-reviewed journals. The website also contains the link "Fragrance Issues" that leads to the groundbreaking CDC policy that includes fragrance-free standards in all CDC facilities throughout the country.
 
In April, I was asked to chair a series of roundtable discussions titled "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity" at the CDC national Healthy Housing conference in New Orleans. In the past month, I have given 23 radio interviews about the potential for MCS to develop among the oil spill cleanup workers. These interviews were with fairly important radio stations with substantial numbers of listeners, including stations in Boston, Austin, Houston, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Miami. I attend many of the Washington or Boston meetings of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veteran's Illnesses. This VA appointed committee is largely responsible for influencing millions of dollars of research into questions that are quite closely related to MCS. During the last decade, I have traveled to London, Wiesbaden, Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax to show my documentaries to MCS groups. My DVDs are now circulating in many European countries.
 
The CSF is focusing at this point on raising awareness of MCS because that is a realistic goal, given our present very limited funds. It's clear that most of the other MCS projects we would like to work on depend upon raising substantial money for the cause. That will become much easier to achieve if we can convince the general public that the condition is real and physiologically based. You can all help in our fundraising efforts by encouraging others to visit our CSF website and to support our foundation financially. We would be happy to include anyone on our mailing list who sends me their address.
 
In closing, let me include the résumés for the CSF board members.
 

Chemical Sensitivity Foundation Board Member Resumes

Alison Johnson, chair of the Chemical Sensitivity Foundation, received the American Academy of Environmental Medicine's Carleton Lee award in 2004 "In recognition of exemplary efforts in furthering the principles of Environmental Medicine." She is a summa cum laude graduate of Carleton College and studied mathematics at the Sorbonne on a National Science Foundation Fellowship. She received a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, where she studied on a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. She has produced and directed documentaries titled Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: How Chemical Exposures May Be Affecting Your Health, Gulf War Syndrome: Aftermath of a Toxic Battlefield, and The Toxic Clouds of 9/11: A Looming Health Disaster. She has also edited a book titled Casualties of Progress: Personal Histories from the Chemically Sensitive and has written a book titled Gulf War Syndrome: Legacy of a Perfect War. "In 2008 I published my latest book, Amputated Lives: Coping with Chemical Sensitivity. For information on these books and DVDs, see www.alisonjohnsonmcs.com
 
Pam Gibson, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at James Madison University. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Rhode Island in 1991 and has since studied the life impacts of having environmental sensitivities. Dr. Gibson is the author of the book Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Survival Guide, 2nd ed., as well as numerous journal and conference papers. For further information on Dr. Gibson's book, see www.earthrivebooks.com and for her research, see www.mcsresearch.net
 
Lynn Lawson is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in chemistry from Beloit College and received her master's degree in English from Northwestern University. She taught English composition and literature at the university level for several years before becoming a medical and technical writer. She has written one of the leading books about chemical sensitivity, Staying Well in a Toxic World: Understanding Environmental Illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Chemical Injuries, and Sick Building Syndrome. From 1991 to 2001, she edited the Canary News, the newsletter of the Chicago area chemical sensitivity group, which enjoyed a nationwide MCS readership.
 
Ann McCampbell, M.D., is a physician who had to stop practicing medicine after she developed chemical sensitivity. She was a cofounder of the Healthy Housing Coalition of New Mexico in 1994, and she is the chair of the MCS Task Force of New Mexico, which she helped found in 1995. In 1996, Dr. McCampbell organized and moderated a meeting of the Governor's Committee on the Concerns of the Handicapped held in Santa Fe. At this day-long meeting, dozens of chemically sensitive people testified about the impact of MCS upon their lives. Dr. McCampbell has written a booklet titled Multiple Chemical Sensitivity that is widely used by MCS support groups across the country. She also drafted the MCS brochure printed by the MCS Task Force of New Mexico in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Environment Department, and the New Mexico State Department of Education. Dr. McCampbell's latest contribution to the cause of the chemically sensitive is an article titled "Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Under Siege," which was the lead article in the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients in January 2001. In this article, she describes how pesticide companies are often subsidiaries or parent companies of pharmaceutical firms, a linkage that is particularly disturbing because of the enormous influence that pharmaceutical companies have through their advertising in medical journals and their funding of academic research.
 
Karen McDonell, who was a paralegal before a sick building exposure made her chemically sensitive, has been a leading MCS advocate in the Seattle area, where she has assembled a database of over 800 area residents with chemical sensitivity. Her efforts led to the establishment by the Washington Legislature of a task force on MCS. McDonell organized and raised funds for the first Washington State Conference on MCS, which was held in Seattle in 1993 with over 350 in attendance. She also organized a 1996 MCS conference that was cosponsored by the University of Washington, School of Continuing Education, as well as a conference on children's environmental health, and served as the facilitator at these conferences. McDonell is also a long-time board member of the Washington Toxics Coalition.
 
Gerald Ross, M.D., is board certified in both Family Medicine and Environmental Medicine and treated thousands of patients with MCS and many ill Gulf War veterans while on the staff of the Environmental Health Center in Dallas. Prior to that period, he served for four years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the medical director of the world's first government-sponsored clinic established for the evaluation and treatment of environmentally triggered illnesses, including multiple chemical sensitivity. Dr. Ross is a past president of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in England. A frequent contributor to peer-reviewed journals, in 1998 he presented a paper demonstrating the link between MCS and neurotoxicity at the first seminar on chemical sensitivity conducted by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific organization. Dr. Ross was the opening speaker at an Ottawa symposium on MCS sponsored by the Canadian Department of National Defense in 2001.
 
Anne Steinemann, Ph.D., is Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Professor of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University in 1993. Dr. Steinemann received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the highest honor for junior faculty in science and engineering. She also received the highest teaching awards for both her department and the university while a faculty member at Georgia Tech. She recently published two textbooks: Microeconomics for Public Decisions (South-Western, 2005) and Exposure Analysis (CRC Press, 2006). In addition, she has published 30 peer-reviewed journal articles. Together with a colleague, she has conducted national and regional prevalence studies of MCS and published the results in the American Journal of Public Health, Archives of Environmental Health, and Environmental Health Perspectives. Further information about Dr. Steinemann can be found on her website: www.ce.washington.edu/people/faculty/bios/steinemann_a.html
 
Robert Weggel received a B.S. degree in physics from MIT and studied applied mathematics on the graduate level at Harvard. From 1966 to 1996, he was an analytical engineer and applied mathematician at the Francis Bitter National Magnet Lab at MIT, where he became the assistant head of the Magnet Technology Division in 1992. From 1996 to 2002, he was a Senior Research Engineer at Brookhaven National Laboratory, where he continued to design magnets. He has lectured at dozens of international magnet conferences and has written a hundred peer-reviewed journal articles. He brings to the board of the Chemical Sensitivity Foundation the perspective of a spouse of an MCS patient, and for several years he helped his wife Diane edit the newsletter of the Massachusetts Association for the Chemically Injured. He is also a former treasurer of the New England Chapter of the Sierra Club.


 

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