(CDC) Docs may want to consider blood testing patients for 'forever chemicals'

The following is from MedPage Today.

Doctors may consider blood testing for the endocrine-disrupting chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to assess community-wide exposure, the CDC recommended in new guidance this week.

In a new resource center detailing PFAS information, the CDC said clinicians can order blood testing to measure PFAS levels for patients on an individual basis through Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified commercial clinical laboratories.

This kind of systematic PFAS blood testing may be particularly helpful for public health officials when looking into community-wide chemical exposures, the agency said.

Exposure to PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” typically comes from contaminated food or water. Their chemical makeup allows them to reduce friction and resist oil and water, leading them to be commonly used in nonstick cookware, water-resistant fabrics, stain-resistant coatings, and personal care products.

Studies have linked exposure to these chemicals to a slew of health conditions, such as increases in cholesterol levels, decreases in birth weight, lower antibody responses to vaccines, kidney and testicular cancer, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, and changes in liver enzymes. Other research has also suggested a link between PFAS and thyroid disease, breast cancer, and ulcerative colitis.

While blood testing for PFAS is the more common way to measure exposure, urine testing is also sometimes used.

Blood testing can inform clinicians of both recent and past exposures to PFAS, which can guide patients on exposure reduction, greater recognition of associated health effects, and “possible psychological relief” for the patient. (Continued…)

Link to article here.