May is International Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month
MCS is a chronic medical condition where people are made sick by low level
exposure to common chemicals in everyday products.
The illness can be extremely disabling.
Monday, 23 May, at 12 noon.
The rally calls on the state government to develop practical MCS disability access strategies for all
public health care services in South Australia, commencing with the immediate introduction of
public health care services in South Australia, commencing with the immediate introduction of
controls on the use of perfume and aftershave in public health care.
This proposal is consistent with the Recommendations arising from the
This proposal is consistent with the Recommendations arising from the
2005 Parliamentary Inquiry into MCS in SA.
It is also consistent with the state government's guidelines for the care of hospital in-patients with MCS
And with the state government's disability access guidelines for government owned buildings.
And with the Australian Human Rights Commission chemical sensitivity guidelines
for disability access to premises
And with numerous MCS disability access policies that have been in place
for several decades in Canada and the United States.
And with similar international policies for fragrance controls in health care services.
In 2008 a Department of Health population survey reported that 1% of South Australians have been medically diagnosed with MCS, with 16% reporting unusual sensitivities to common chemicals.
The survey concluded that many people in the larger group had
chronic symptoms more consistent with MCS.
Similar international studies show that around
2% of industrialised populations can no longer work due to MCS,
with up to 6% or more medically diagnosed with the illness.
Public health care services cannot continue to ignore the
complex medical and disability accommodation
complex medical and disability accommodation
needs of people with MCS.
Please come along to the rally and show your support for the many thousands of people in
South Australia who are seriously disabled by chemical sensitivity.
A flier for this event is attached together with a poster from the MCS Society of Australia
calling for national MCS hospital guidelines.
Out of respect for the disability needs of people with MCS,
please refrain from wearing perfume, aftershave, essential oils or other
highly fragranced products to this event.
