PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Parents of children who drank water contaminated with harmful chemicals are pushing for the CDC to develop a monitoring program for people who have been exposed to the contaminants.
PFAS is known as "forever chemicals" because it takes years to break down in the body. The chemicals were in firefighting foam used during training exercises and leaked into the water supply at the former Pease Air Force Base.
Thousands of people and children were found to have high levels of PFAS in their blood. A number of them will be the focus of a federal health study set to get underway this fall. In the meantime, parents want the CDC to issue guidelines to help physicians monitor any symptoms that could be linked to PFAS exposure.
"We need more guidance to know what to look for, that's the concerning thing about PFAS is what it may do to you over time," said Andrea Amico.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire wrote CDC Director Robert Redfield last week, asking that the CDC develop health monitoring protocols for medical care for children and adults exposed to PFAS. The CDC has yet to respond to the Senator's request.
For more information on PFAS, go here.
For information on the federal health study into the Pease population being conducted by Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, go to Testing for Pease.
PFAS-related stories on NEWSCENTERmaine.com:
- Maine moves to require disclosure of 'forever chemicals'
- Are Maine farms at risk for PFAS contamination?
- Dairy farmer and his wife have high levels of PFAS in their blood
- Pease moms still in the dark about kids' exposure to PFAS
- PFAS fighting tech unveiled at former N.H. Air Force base
- Former Pease Airmen push for cancer screenings
- MEMA surveys fire departments for 'forever chemicals'
- Where in Maine PFAS pollutants exist