Environmental Project, 988 – Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, MCS

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, MCS

Preface

During the past several years, an increasing number of people have contacted the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning symptoms experienced in connection with exposure to small amounts of chemicals, typically chemicals from various consumer products. The media have focused on the fact that certain individuals can be hypersensitive to chemicals.

Knowledge of why some individuals react violently when exposed to small quantities of chemicals, while others do not, is lacking. In many countries Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) has been on the agenda in the scientific community for many years, but not in Denmark. Medical science has been hesitant towards this new phenomenon and the extent of the problem in Denmark has not been investigated.

Consumers are increasingly being exposed to chemicals in the chemical products and goods of every-day life. Some people are apparently hypersensitive to exposure to low concentrations of a wide range of chemicals.

The incidence of non-specific symptoms in the population as a result of exposure to chemicals is uncertain. As a contribution to describing the problem, the Danish EPA has, as a start, initiated this project. The aim is to give a comprehensive account of existing knowledge and experience of MCS in Denmark and other countries. It will, hopefully, constitute a basis for a better understanding of MCS and for dealing with the problem in the future.

In Denmark, MCS is called odour and chemical hypersensitivity.

The technical part of the report has been prepared under contract with the Danish EPA during the period July 2001 – February 2002 by specialist in occupational and community medicine, doctor of medicine Martin Silberschmidt, ms consult. A steering group has functioned as technical sparring partner and source of inspiration. The steering group, which met twice during the project period, had the following members:

Pia Juul Nielsen, Danish EPA (chair)
Poul Bo Larsen, Danish EPA
Finn Gyntelberg, Clinic of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital
Søren Vesterhauge, Department of Oto-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet)National Hospital of Denmark
Anders Carlsen, Medical Officer of Health Institution, Viborg County
Ole Ladefoged, The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Division for Food Safety and Toxicology
Peder Wolkoff, National Institute of Occupational Health, Denmark