CDC Updates Website Re: Mold Induced Illnesses

[Guest guest]

I received the following message from Brinchman, Director of SMH.

SMH has been working VERY HARD to encourage the CDC update their website

regarding mold induced illnesses. Their work is making a tremendous difference

over this issue to the benefit of the health and safety of the American

public.

See message below.

Sharon Kramer

Dear Friends of The Center for School Mold Help (SMH),

This is an URGENT notice to alert you to additional changes (in Jan.

'10)about the Mold and Health info on the CDC website, due to SMH influence. I

just learned of these this AM and wanted to share the news.

I am writing to bring a major development to your attention: in direct

response to The Center for School Mold Help's year long campaign of

communications with the CDC and Obama administration, the CDC has finally

admitted in

its public information on the CDC Mold and Health section

_http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm_

(http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm) ,

online, that both mold and/or dampness (even indoor dampness alone) can be

associated with the development of respiratory health problems such as new

asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in previously healthy/susceptible

individuals. This is a brand new pronouncement, as the findings of the IOM

in 2004 were not readily found on the CDC website previously. (see below).

Now, there is a link to the IOM Damp Indoor Spaces and Health (2004) study

in the Key Resources section, found on _http://www.cdc.gov/mold/_

(http://www.cdc.gov/mold/) , as well as to the WHO Guide to Indoor Air Quality:

Dampness and Mould (2009), also directly in response to SMH's strongly worded

request. The next piece (for now) is to have the CDC summarize the WHO

findings and place them in this section. I have no doubt this will be

accomplished within a very short time, with SMH continuing to insist on these

areas,

on behalf of the public, who deserve accurate, current information about

Mold and Health from our primary United States health agency, in the interest

of warning the general public, accomplishing prevention, and

implementation of medical strategies for diagnosis and treatment that all

physicians may

be trained on. With the CDC now admitting that some of the health problems

we know are caused by mold and dampness exist, this opens the door to

improved health for a vast number of Americans.

With the US GAO Workgroup (under CIAQ) meeting in Jan, 2010, to further

address how to be consistent and warn the US public about mold's health

effects, this is a very timely change, as all US agencies may be anticipated to

adopt this - and future - CDC information about mold and health. That is why

it is so important for it to be accurate. Eventually, we anticipate that

public health departments will be a resource for accurate mold information

and preventative actions, through these changes.

_Click here: CDC - Mold - General Information - Facts About Mold and

Dampness_ (http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm)

<<

In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient

evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms,

cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people

with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals

susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or

suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in

otherwise healthy children.

In addition, in 2004 the IOM found sufficient evidence to link exposure to

damp indoor environments in general to upper respiratory tract symptoms,

cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people and with asthma symptoms in

people with asthma. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking

exposure to damp indoor environments in general to shortness of breath, to

respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children and to potential

development of asthma in susceptible individuals. >>

We are not done, and will not be, until dampness and mold in our school

buildings are a thing of the past. Not till the American public is fully

educated, with resulting laws in place to protect children and school staff from

dangerous, damp buildings. We know that there are more health effects not

mentioned by the IOM and WHO, but this is a foundation that all else will

be built on.

The reason SMH has been able to have this type of influence is because of

our nonprofit status and high level of credibility. Our board is comprised

of educators, scientists, and community members who are committed to the

improved health of our children and ultimately, all Americans.

We ask for your support, as the work is not yet done, but we anticipate

that in 2010 more vital results will occur through SMH influence - the door

is wide open, now, for the desired change.

We ask that everyone receiving this email send a fully tax-deductible

donation of $1 or more to The Center for School Mold Help, P.O. Box 655, La

Mesa, CA 91944-0655, or visit our _Donation page

http://www.schoolmoldhelp.org/content/view/184/205/_

(http://www.schoolmoldhelp.org/content/view/184/205/) to make an online

donation. Please consider sending that amount monthly,

if you can afford to do so. We need your help to continue these

accomplishments that will help protect your family's health now and in the

future. We

are a 501c3 nonprofit, listed with the IRS (visit

_http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/_ (http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/) and search

on Center for School

Mold Help).

I wanted to share this news, as it may help with current efforts to have

the effects of mold recognized in your local communities. Please share the

CDC info with your family, friends, physicians, attorneys, school

administrators, school boards, and more...

This truly is a day when I can wish you a Happy New Year, with anticipation

of more good news to come, finally!

Sincerely,

Brinchman

Director, The Center for School Mold Help

PO Box 655

La Mesa, CA 91944-0655

_www.schoolmoldhelp.org_ (http://www.schoolmoldhelp.org/)

_director@..._ (mailto:director@...)

_nomoreschoolmold@..._ (mailto:nomoreschoolmold@...)