Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Duplicates Available for C8 Health Project Participants

People who participated in the C8 Health Project can now receive duplicate copies of their test results from the Science Panel.

Duplicates are being made available to those individuals who have consented to participate in the ongoing community study.

To request a copy of lost or misplaced results, participants can visit the website at c8sciencepanel.org. It’s recommended that individuals request the duplicates by mail using a sample letter available at the website.

Roughly two thirds of the 70,000 individuals who participated in the project also consented for their results to be used in the community study. Those who have not yet done so can fill out a form available on the website.

Additionally, participants who have moved since the time of the testing, which took place in 2005 and 2006, should update their address with the science panel. Instructions are available online.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Judge Seals C8 Health Project Results

A Wood County Circuit Court Judge has sealed the results of the C8 Health Project in an attempt to protect them from “data snoopers”.

Several days ago, preliminary findings from the data collection portion of the study found their way into news reports after being used in a presentation at West Virginia University where the raw data is being databased and stored. According to the order of Judge J D Beane, the data will be sealed with few exceptions permitted for researchers that petition the judge in writing for access.

The WVU presentation suggested that C8 or PFOA may negatively impact the liver, thyroid and immune functions of humans and contribute to higher cholesterol levels in children.

But a statement from the C8 Science Panel says it’s too early to draw such conclusions. The three-member science panel consists of epidemiologists appointed by the court to study the raw data and make a determination as to whether C8 can be linked to human disease. The results of the project were expected to come through this panel according to a very strict protocol ironed out between the parties involved in the class action settlement brought by residents against DuPont over the presence of the manufacturing chemical in local water supplies.

Panelist Dr. Kyle Steenland said the data from WVU does not represent a thorough analysis. “Therefore, the C8 Science Panel does not believe they provide valid information regarding the presence or absence of association between C8 exposure and health outcomes.”

Steenland said the data from the C8 Health Project by itself is insufficient, even when completely analyzed, to draw any firm conclusions about whether C8 is linked to disease.

When complete, the Science Panel reports will be filed with the Court, published in academic journals, and shared directly with the interested public. Their first analyses of the C8 Health Project data is expected to be made public later this year.