MSGID: 1:317/3 6476cd99   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    World leading health experts say aviation industry must act on cabin   
   fumes as they launch new medical guidance    
      
     Date:   
         May 30, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Stirling   
     Summary:   
         A group of world leading health and scientific experts are calling   
         on the aviation industry to take action to protect passengers and   
         aircrew from dangerous cabin fumes which they say have led to a   
         new emerging disease.   
      
         Led by former pilot and aviation health researcher, the specialists   
         have released the first medical protocol of its kind to help treat   
         those effected by contamination of the aircraft cabin breathing   
         air supply and collect data on contamination events.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   A group of world leading health and scientific experts are calling on the   
   aviation industry to take action to protect passengers and aircrew from   
   dangerous cabin fumes which they say have led to a new emerging disease.   
      
   Led by former pilot and leading global aviation health researcher Dr Susan   
   Michaelis, the specialists have released the first medical protocol of   
   its kind to help treat those effected by contamination of the aircraft   
   cabin breathing air supply and collect data on contamination events.   
      
   The International Fume Events Task Force, made up of 17 doctors,   
   occupational health specialists, toxicologists, epidemiologists and   
   aviation experts, have spent six years researching and preparing the   
   evidence and guidance. The result is a unique protocol for medical staff   
   and non-medically trained airline staff which outlines the actions and   
   investigations they should carry out when a person has been exposed to   
   fumes or fume events.   
      
   Aircrew and passengers are exposed to chronic background low-levels of   
   engine oils and hydraulic fluids leaking into the aircraft air supply   
   during every flight. They can also experience adverse effects from more   
   irregular 'fume' events, which mark incidents when there's a noticeable   
   level of contaminants in the cabin.   
      
   Dr Michaelis, who is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University   
   of Stirling, said: "This has been happening for the last 70 years and   
   reports of air crew becoming unwell continue to rise.   
      
   "Currently, when aircrew or passengers become unwell, whether they are   
   still on the plane, suffer symptoms in the days or weeks to come, or   
   report illness in the years that follow, there's nothing in the medical   
   books, there's no guidance material for the aviation industry or medical   
   professionals and very often they get turned away or are given minimal   
   testing.   
      
   "This new medical protocol has been written by internationally   
   recognised experts and presents a consensus approach to the recognition,   
   investigation and management of people suffering from the toxic effects   
   of inhaling thermally degraded engine oil and other fluids contaminating   
   the air conditioning systems in aircraft, and includes actions and   
   investigations for in-flight, immediately post-flight and late subsequent   
   follow up.   
      
   "All of the data and evidence collected strongly suggests a causal   
   connection between the contaminants from the oils and hydraulic fluids and   
   people becoming unwell. This is the first comprehensive and systematic   
   approach for documenting and gathering further epidemiological data   
   in what is a discreet and emerging occupational health syndrome."   
   The medical protocol and an accompanying narrative review have been   
   published in the open access peer reviewed journal, Environmental Health.   
      
   The narrative review illustrates the diffuse and consistent pattern of   
   adverse effects, as documented by aircrew and some passengers, after   
   breathing these fumes onboard and incorporates the findings from fume   
   event reports and documented ill health effects that were collected over   
   decades in multiple countries and regions.   
      
   Professor Andrew Watterson of the University of Stirling said "This is   
   a globally important and ground-breaking study using a narrative review   
   of a significant and complex problem for those exposed to aircraft cabin   
   air supply fumes that result in a range of often serious adverse effects.   
      
   "It has generated a very useful tool in the process, based on recent   
   research, in the form of a protocol for identifying, assessing   
   and better documenting those effects in the future."  Exposure to   
   aircraft contaminated air and fume events is associated with documented   
   aircrew impairment and incapacitation, jeopardizing the safety of the   
   flight. These exposures are known to cause foggy thinking, dizziness,   
   fatigue and impaired short-term memory and cognitive thinking. It can   
   also cause neurological, respiratory and cardiac complaints, while other   
   studies have drawn links with various cancers.   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Stirling. Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Jonathan Burdon, Lygia Therese Budnik, Xaver Baur, Gerard Hageman,   
      C.   
      
         Vyvyan Howard, Jordi Roig, Leonie Coxon, Clement E. Furlong,   
         David Gee, Tristan Loraine, Alvin V. Terry, John Midavaine, Hannes   
         Petersen, Denis Bron, Colin L. Soskolne, Susan Michaelis. Health   
         consequences of exposure to aircraft contaminated air and   
         fume events: a narrative review and medical protocol for the   
         investigation of exposed aircrew and passengers.   
      
         Environmental Health, 2023; 22 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00987-8   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230530174304.htm   
      
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