Sent the following to WebMD

[Guest guest]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I find your recently published study regarding those who have been made ill

from mold and toxin exposure, have gone through the litigation process and

have been examined by physicians hired by representatives of the defendants;

to

be in very poor taste, socially wreckless in light of all those exposed to

mold in the aftermath of Katrina, and a political position -rather than a

medical finding.

Dr. Bardana has long been known as a prolific expert witness for the defense

in mold litigation. His IME's have been a focal point of investigation of

SAIF worker's comp insurance by the state.

The study of illness caused by mold and toxin exposure is a young and

complicated field of study. It is further conveluded by the litigation

process, as

illnesses may be caused by stakeholder industries.

I am sadly disappointed by your apparent siding with those who have

potential financial liability. I am gravely concerned over the danger you may be

placing people in by misrepresenting what is known of illnesses caused by molds

and toxins. Medical politics, the courtroom and stakeholder liability is one

thing, but the burden of proof over this very serious issue should not lay with

the children of New Orleans. I am attaching a semi-spoof of this insidious

situation so you may better understand just how out of hand the courtroom

antics have been allowed to become - and how they are harming the safety of the

public.

Sincerely,

Sharon Kramer

October 11, 2005

STUDY FINDS MOLD MAY ONLY BE HAZARDOUS TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THEIR

FAMILIES

As if government officials did not have enough to worry about in these days

of allegations of rampant corruption, a new study finds they may be more

susceptible to ‘toxic mold’ exposure than their constituents.

While the average citizens of New Orleans are being encouraged to return to

the city with little warning of potential health hazards from breathing mold

and the toxins they produce, Governor Kathleen Blanco has been residing

outside of the Governor’s mansion. The mansion has been undergoing a

taxpayer paid

$800,000 renovation, $500,000 of which is for mold removal.

In 2003, Brown, who leads the consumer protection division for Kansas

State Atty. Gen. Phill Kline, sued Kansas Republican Party Chairman Tim

Shallenburger over the home Brown purchased from Shallenburger, which was

reported

to have mold. Brown said things started falling apart in the house and that

his children became ill because of mold.

Mr. Brown has not taken any known stance in the state of Kansas to assist

numerous average citizens claiming difficulty from mold. This would support

the current scientific evidence frequently used in mold litigation - mold is

only dangerous for government officials and their families. As further evidence

of this phenomenon and according to a survey conducted by the University of

Calima, 99.9% of average citizens complaining of mold illnesses are reported

to be liars and whiners, including infants. This survey was graciously

funded by a grant from the National Insurance Affliations.

After a $5.6 million dollar renovation of the South Carolina Governors

Mansion three years earlier, First Lady Sanford said stachybotrys was

causing health problems with her family. Stachybotrys is a known toxin producing

mold. According to Mike Sponhour, spokesman for the South Carolina State Budget

and Control Board which oversees maintenance on the building, “We understand

the concern the first lady has for the health of her family and children. We

take that very seriously. We’re committed to doing everything we can to fix

the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again.†Like numerous other

government officials’ families from across the US, Governor Sanford’s family

is

apparently highly susceptible to mold induced illnesses.

Another government official who may suffer from susceptibility that the

average citizen does not, is North Carolina Governor Mike Easley. In August of

this year, he and his family were forced to move from the governor’s mansion

because of mold. This is the second time in four years that the 114 year old

mansion has been invaded by mold. According to Secretary of Administration

Gwynn Swinson, the governor and his family needed to clear out for health

reasons.

A study done earlier this year was able to establish average citizens as

those who may not suffer from the same mold illness susceptibility as analyzed

in the Government Officials’ Study. Dr. Emil Bardana, President of the

American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI) and prolific expert

witness in mold litigation, examined 50 mold cases where people were evaluated

by

physicians retained largely by defendants’ representatives. The study by

allergist Bardana concluded that no credible medical evidence has emerged to

link

mold exposure to the wide range of serious medical conditions associated

with toxic mold syndrome - which is a poisoning, not an allergy.

Although memory and immunological complications have been reported by many

Americans who have been exposed to mold in prior flooded buildings, a WebMD

Health Alert regarding toxic mold syndrome and issued to the public in September

of this year quoted allergist Bardana as saying, “We know that mold can make

people sick if they end up in the foods they eat. But there is little

evidence that inhaled environmental mold exposure can cause the serious

illnesses

that are attributed to it.â€

This is a sentiment echoed by Dr. Redd of the CDC. Redd indicates

there is not evidence of toxic mold causing illnesses, except when eaten or

touched. “They won't produce these toxins at all times but under certain

circumstances, like the nutrient supply is getting short or some environmental

issue, they may start producing toxins and those can be dangerous if they're

eaten

or if they're touchedâ€, said Redd. “There's up to now not been evidence

that airborne mold toxins have produced disease.†It is unclear if the health

advisory by the CDC spokesman regarding no known ill health from inhaling mold

toxins, applies to government officials and their families or only the public

at large.

After the implication of safety from these Health Alerts, sales of HazMat

suits that are typically worn to protect from inhaling mold during remediation

are anticipated to decline. “Golly, who knew we could breathe that stuff in

all day long and it wouldn’t hurt us one bit besides a runny nose. I’m just

buyin’ me and my boys some gloves,†said Bubba , owner of a brand new

remediation company that provides expert advice to the citizens of New Orleans

regarding mold clean up. Mr was unable to remember the name of his new

company.

Through the University of Mississippi, additional research by ACAAI

allergists is underway to determine if stress from Katrina plays any role in

increasing the impact of mold on the average citizen. It is unclear if the

focus of

this research is the stress from Katrina itself, or the stress of having the

medical community and government health agencies not acknowledge and treat

the known physiological symptoms caused by mold toxins – in the general

public.

Either way, physicians writing prescriptions for antidepressant medications

and referrals to allergists are anticipated to rise. Antifungal prescriptions

are thought to remain stable. The number of mold litigation cases currently

clogging our courts is anticipated to increase – furthering the need for

services of expert witnesses.

Although the Government Officials Study was massive in the number observed

to have required extensive mold remediation for the protection of their

families that average citizens did not, including W. Bush and the

Governor

of Mississippi, it was inconclusive in establishing if these government

positions made officials more susceptible to mold illnesses than their

constituents, or if their positions might actually have served to benefit the

health of

they and their families.

Bubba , the National Insurance Affiliations, the University of Calima

and a study of Gov’t Officials Mold Susceptiblity are FICTIOUS. Other

information including direct quotes are REAL.

From the Website of the Center for Disease Control:

Mold Toxins (Mycotoxins)

Molds can produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. Some mycotoxins cling

to the surface of mold spores; others may be found within spores. More than

200 mycotoxins have been identified from common molds, and many more remain

to

be identified. Some of the molds that are known to produce mycotoxins are

commonly found in moisture-damaged buildings. Exposure pathways for

mycotoxins

can include inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Although some mycotoxins

are well known to affect humans and have been shown to be responsible for

human health effects, for many mycotoxins, little information is available.

Aflatoxin B1 is perhaps the most well known and studied mycotoxin. It can

be

produced by the molds Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus and is

one of the most potent carcinogens known. Ingestion of aflatoxin B1 can

cause

liver cancer. There is also some evidence that inhalation of aflatoxin B1

can cause lung cancer. Aflatoxin B1 has been found on contaminated grains,

peanuts, and other human and animal foodstuffs. However, Aspergillus flavus

and

Aspergillus parasiticus are not commonly found on building materials or in

indoor environments.

Much of the information on the human health effects of inhalation exposure

to mycotoxins comes from studies done in the workplace and some case studies

or case reports.* Many symptoms and human health effects attributed to

inhalation of mycotoxins have been reported including: mucous membrane

irritation,

skin rash, nausea, immune system suppression, acute or chronic liver damage,

acute or chronic central nervous system damage, endocrine effects, and

cancer.

More studies are needed to get a clear picture of the health effects related

to most mycotoxins. However, it is clearly prudent to avoid exposure to

molds and

mycotoxins.

_Household Mold: Health Issues regarding Mold_

(http://www.moldandhealth.com/health.html)

Clorox Corp.

_Clinician's Guidance on Moisture & Mold in the Indoor Environment_

(http://oehc.uchc.edu/clinser/MOLD%20GUIDE.pdf)

University of Conneticutt.

Warning to wear respirator while cleaning mold, by the CDC

_http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/pdf/flyer-get-rid-of-mold.pdf_

(http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/pdf/flyer-get-rid-of-mold.pdf)

_KATU 2 - Portland, Oregon_ (http://www.katu.com/team2/story.asp?ID=73443)

Dealing with SAIF - sick and feeling like a criminal.

[Guest guest]

GO SHARON!!!!! Do you have your feathers and war paint on?!!!

Sue

Dear Sir or Madam,

I find your recently published study regarding those who have been made ill

from mold and toxin exposure, have gone through the litigation process and

have been examined by physicians hired by representatives of the

defendants; to

be in very poor taste, socially wreckless in light of all those exposed to

mold in the aftermath of Katrina, and a political position -rather than a

medical finding.