Mold fears unwarranted, report claims

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Mold fears unwarranted, report claims

Research indicates only small percentage physically affected

September 23, 2002

By Kris Banks

Daily Texan Staff

Panic over mold cases is mostly unfounded, a report from the Texas Medical

Association released Saturday stated.

" There is no reason to panic, " said Wes Stafford, an allergist and

immunologist who researched for the report. " At this point, it's more a

legal issue than a medical issue. "

The report said Stachybotrys, or " black mold, " only causes allergic

reactions in 8 percent to 10 percent of people, and is not a significant

threat to homeowners. It said reports suggesting otherwise were not based on

proof.

Stafford said that mold indicated nothing more than a plumbing problem.

" If mold grows in the house, find the source of water, fix the leak and

clean [the mold] up, " he said.

Stafford said the mold remediation industry has been created and grown

wealthy on an unnecessary fear.

" People are ripping out walls and spending incredible amounts of money, " he

said.

Stafford said the mold issue is also unfairly hurting insurance companies.

" Insurance companies are forking over $20 billion or more, " he said. " When

we looked around for information on whether mold was making people sick, we

had to ask ourselves, 'Is this a real problem?' "

When mold was discovered in the home of Jim Wiginton, his insurance company

paid for an apartment and many amenities, going so far as to rent forks and

spoons for his family while the mold was being cleaned up.

No one in the family is allergic to mold, Wiginton, a lawyer from Alvin,

Texas, said. The insurance company asked if anyone was, but still provided

them with the apartment.

Melinda Ballard won a $32 million lawsuit against Farmers Insurance in June

2001 over a mold infestation in her home in Dripping Springs. She said the

mold had adverse effects on her husband's health.

She said the TMA report goes against previous research.

" There is a mountain of evidence, " she said.

Ballard, now president of Policy Holders of America, a homeowners' advocacy

group, said that while she agreed that small amounts of exposure might have

little effect on a person's health, vast exposure - such as the case in her

home - can cause serious health damage.

" I'd rather see doctors err on the side of conservatism, " she said. " They're

losing credibility. "

Ballard said she sees many similarities in the arguments of the TMA report

and the arguments of doctors in the late 1990s who said E. coli was not a

serious health threat.

The TMA also passed a resolution demanding that insurance companies stop

deferring psychiatric care, including chemical dependency, to other

companies.

Those deferments, which the TMA calls " carve outs, " causes a decrease in

resources for mental care, said Les Secrest, a psychiatrist who worked on

the resolution.