“It’s a huge public health problem,” (1);says Professor Anne Steinemann, in response to her 2018 research paper, ‘PREVALENCE AND EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY IN AUSTRALIA’. (2)
The University of Melbourne researcher and world expert on environmental pollutants, air quality and health effects concluded that, across the country,
👉🏻 6.5% report medically diagnosed MCS
👉🏻18.9% report chemical sensitivity (being unusually sensitive to everyday chemicals and chemically formulated products), and 19.9% either or both.
👉🏻 Among people with MCS, 74.6% also have diagnosed asthma or an asthma-like condition, and 91.5% have fragrance sensitivity, reporting health problems (such as migraine headaches) when exposed to fragranced consumer products (such as air fresheners and cleaning supplies).
👉🏻 77.5% of people with MCS are prevented from access to places because of fragranced products.
👉🏻 52.1% lost workdays or a job in the past year due to fragranced product exposure in the workplace.
👉🏻 55.4% report health effects considered potentially disabling.
👉🏻 Results indicate that MCS is a widespread disease, affecting an estimated 1 million adult Australians, with chemical sensitivity affecting another 2 million.
👉🏻 “It is no longer sustainable for the medical community to keep ignoring the size and sweep of this (MCS) epidemic.” (6)
Dr. Martin Pall, Washington State University & author of ‘Explaining Unexplained Illnesses.’
👉🏻 “Reports from around the world indicate that chemical sensitivity is a global problem and the numbers seem to be growing.” (7)
Dr Ann McCampbell, leading chemical sensitivity & disability advocate & co chair of ‘Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Task Force’
👉🏻 “The average person is exposed to over 500 chemicals a day. When chemicals are unable to be detoxified, this results in the slow accumulation of chemicals that back up & begin to create damage & problems” (8)
Dr Sherry Rogers, Allergy & Immunology Specialist. Author.
👉🏻 “Today we are witnessing a unique pattern of illness involving chemically exposed groups in more than a dozen countries”
“15-30% of the population are sensitive to chemicals & fragrances” (9)
Dr Claudia Miller, University of Texas. Immunologist, Allergist & author of ‘Chemical Exposure: Low Levels High Stakes.’ (10)
👉🏻 “It’s a huge health problem” (1)
👉🏻 “Prevalence of diagnosed MCS has increased over 300%, and self-reported chemical sensitivity over 200%, in the past decade. Reducing exposure to fragranced products could help reduce adverse health and societal effects.” (2)
Professor Anne Steinemann, University ofMelbourne. World expert on environmental pollutants, air quality and health. Author of ‘Prevalence & Effects of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Australia.’
👉🏻 “The problem of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities is, in my opinion, a toxic problem which will, over the next decade, affect almost everyone in some way.”
Dr Mark Donohoe, Australian Environmental Medicine & MCS specialist and author of ‘Killing Us Softly’
The Australian Human Rights & Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC) acknowledges MCS as a disability covered in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and clearly includes chemical sensitivity in its document ‘Access to Buildings & Services- Guidelines & Information'(11) .. however, these strategies are rarely implemented & other government recommendations (12) have largely gone unanswered (13) (14)
A national survey of MCS sufferers (15) corroborates this with the following grim statistics:
·👉🏻 Nearly half the respondents were totally disabled, with two thirds unable to access disability and social services.
👉🏻 61% were unable to access health services.
👉🏻 96% were unable to access aged care services.
👉🏻 89% were unable to access allied and respite care.
👉🏻 Of those who could access health care, 63% said MCS Hospital Guidelines were not implemented.
👉🏻 Nearly 90% of patients reported living in either a high or medium degree of isolation.
MCS AWARENESS MONTH
May is MCS AWARENESS MONTH. Please join with me in shining a spotlight on this condition which impacts so many lives worldwide. LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE these videos. Thank you!
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a medical condition that causes sufferers to be made sick by exposures to low levels of many common chemicals – such as perfume, pesticides, tobacco smoke, air ‘fresheners’, cleaning products, solvents and VOC’s found in paint, new carpets and building materials. Chemically sensitive people also frequently react to foods, drugs, electromagnetic fields & wifi technology & fabric treatments added to clothing & bedding.
Symptoms include but are not limited to, respiratory problems & asthma, fatigue, muscle weakness & pain, headaches, eye & skin irritation as well as anaphylaxis, seizures and other neurological symptoms. Reactions can occur after chemicals are inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin.
(1)
https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/a-problem-of-hidden-hazards-common-fragrances-a-public-health-problem-20161026-gsax8k.html
(2)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335518300457
(3)
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/multiple-sclerosis-ms
(4)
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/cancer/latest-release
(5)
https://www.dementia.org.au/sites/default/files/documents/Dementia-Key-Facts-Stats-Updated-September-2018.pdf(6)
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13371037
(7)
http://annmccampbell.com/multiple-chemical-sensitivity/
(8)
http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/w9394sherry.html
(9)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12000012/
(10)
http://tiltresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2019/03/Chemical_Exposures_Low_Levels_and_High_Stakes_2nd_Ed-min.pdf
(11)
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/access-guidelines-and-information#chem
(12)
http://www.nicnas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/4946/MCS_Final_Report_Nov_2010_PDF.pdf
(13)
http://library.safework.sa.gov.au/attachments/60407/Multile-chemical-sensitivity.pdf
(14)
http://www.tammyfranks.org.au/2012/07/18/2271/
(15)
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity prevalence rates in Australia
Extra Info
https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Multiple_chemical_sensitivity#How_common_is_multiple_chemical_sensitivity.3F
MCS Resources
Australia: What is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Click to access MCSdrafReport.pdf
Thank YOU sooooo much for highlighting & explaining the problems associated with MCS that isolates us from society! You’re doing a fabulous job advocating for those of us who are invisible to our community as we live in isolated safety bubbles to try to remain healthy! I’m thankful to have a medical practise that advocates for those with MCS by having signs to say it’s a “Perfume Free Zone!” I hope to see many more of those signs in the future to assist us. Blessings from Adelaide. Kerryn