Resources and Support for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Environmental Illness, and Chemical Injuries in Canada

Hospital Protocols

MCS Protocol, Alberta, David-Thompson-Health Region (Rev. Feb/09) Canadian content site Adobe pdf 

David-Thompson-Health Region Scent-Free Workplace Canadian content site Adobe pdf 

Environmental Health in Hospital (A Practical Guide for Hospital Staff): Part I: Pollution Prevention Canadian content site Adobe pdf Centres around providing a supportive environment for optimum patient care. Made available by the Canadian Society for Environmental Medicine and co-authored by L.M. Marshall, MD and J.G. Maclennan, MD. NOTE: This document is currently being revised by CSEM. Please check back for updates.

Environmental Health in Hospital (A Practical Guide for Hospital Staff): Part II: Environment-Sensitive Care Canadian content site Adobe pdf  Focuses on enhancing staff environmental awareness to assist in the provision of optimum care, particularly for those with environment-sensitive illnesses. Made available by the Canadian Society for Environmental Medicine and co-authored by L.M. Marshall, MD and J.G. Maclennan, MD. NOTE: This document is currently being revised by CSEM. Please check back for updates.

Hospitalisation and Emergency Surgery Australian content site  Allergy, Sensitivity & Environmental Health Association by Dorothy M. Bowes, June 2004. Dealing with hospitalisation and emergency surgery when allergy, food and chemical sensitivity are complicating factors.

Hospitalization for the Chemically Sensitive Patient by Selene Anema, RN. Includes: Additional Considerations from the Editor and Mercy Medical Center Hospital Protocol Guidelines. Also available in a printable version.

MCS Accommodations Letter by HEAL of Southern Arizona.

Medical Care A great resource covering many issues from Dr. Grace Ziem.

Medical Evaluation and Treatment of Patients with Chemical Injury and Sensitivity Grace Ziem, M.D., Dr. P.H., Invited Speaker. Conference Sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. August 13-15, 2001.

MedicAlert Information by Cyndi Norman. November 1997.

NIBS Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ): Cleaner Air Rooms. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Protocol: Southwest General Health Center (SWGHC), Middleburg Heights, Ohio. See also Nursing Protocol.

Teflon Oxygen Tubing by Susan Beck. June 1998.

Tips for Anesthetics and Hospitalization for People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities by Susan Beck. Revised June 6, 1999.

Ontario College of Family Physicians: Environmental Health Committee

CFIDS and Anesthesia: What are the risks? By Elisabeth A. Crean. (NOTE: This is an interesting article but you should be aware that it is NOT necessary to ever use ANY gasses at all. The whole surgery can be done with Diprivan. This article assumes that you only use it as an inducer and that you need a "maintenance agent" (gas) which you don't. The gasses suggested may be better than halothane etc. but you still don't need to use them. I have had numerous short and long surgeries using continuous flow diprivan IV anesthetic with Oxygen only to breath. See my article at: Tips for Anesthetics and Hospitalization for People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Susan Beck.)

Information about anesthesia From National CFIDS Foundation. Anesthesia has adversely affected patients with CFIDS (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis). The reason for this has been found. Recent research* funded by the National CFIDS Foundation, Inc. found that a substance, much like ciguatera toxin, is being produced in the body by a disease process in those with CFIDS/ME/CFS. Dubbed the “ciguatera epitope,” this research explains the danger of using any anesthesia that uses the sodium channel at the cellular level. Some anesthesiologists have had success blocking the sodium channel during anesthesia for CFIDS/ME/CFS patients.

Hospital Related Issues

Biologic Markers in Immunotoxicology (1992) Commission on Life Sciences, from National Academies Press.

Caring for People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: Creating Access to Health Care by Louise Kosta. Chief writer, The Human Ecologist. What happens to patients with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) when they seek health care for conditions not related to MCS?

Case Criteria Checklists (CFS, Fibromyalgia, MCS) Canadian content site Adobe pdf Diseases of the 21st Century Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Clinical Diagnostic Worksheet; Diagnostic Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia (FM); Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) Case Criteria Checklist. Dr. Lynn Marshall, Dr. Alison Bested and Dr. Riina Bray. Published: July 9, 2003. Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Considerations for the Diagnosis of Chemical Sensitivity William J. Rea, Alfred R. Johnson, Gerald H. Ross, Joel R. Butler, Ervin J. Fenyves, Bertie Griffiths, John Laseter

Dr. Grace Ziem's Environmental Control Plan For Chemically Sensitive Patients

NO LONGER ONLINE Environmental Sensitivities: Awareness of Growing Health Problems in the Workplace Canadian content site  Adobe pdf New Brunswick Nurses Union October, 2000. This booklet was prepared by the NBNU Health and Safety Committee to raise the awareness of our members to the issue of environmental illness and multiple chemical sensitivities. It is not intended to be an in depth analysis but rather an education tool to assist members in identifying these illnesses, the sources of environmental contaminants and hopefully encourage us to advocate for a healthier work environment through employee health and our Workplace Health and Safety Committees. New Brunswick Nurses Union Main Site.

Health Care Without Harm The Campaign for Environmentally Health Care. Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups whose mission is to transform the health care industry worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment.

Risks to Asthma Posed by Indoor Health Environments: A Guide to Identifying and Reducing Problematic Exposures. Common substances in health care can cause or trigger asthma; new report shows hospitals how to reduce risk. Chemicals and substances commonly found inside hospitals can cause asthma or trigger asthma attacks according to a report issued by Health Care Without Harm, an international coalition of 450 groups trying to make the health care industry safer.

Full report. Adobe pdf Risks to Asthma Posed by Indoor Health Enfironments: A Guide to Identifying and Reducing Problematic Exposures. Health Care Without Harm. Autumn, 2006. 6 pages.

Executive Summary. Adobe pdf A Guide to Identifying and Reducing Problematic Exposures. Health Care Without Harm. Autumn, 2006. 94 pages.

Mercury Exposure: Information for Patients  Adobe pdf Dr. Riina Bray and Dr. Kathleen Kerr. The Environmental Health Committee produced this pamphlet as a tool for patients seeking more information regarding mercury exposure.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: Addendum to Biologic Markers in Immunotoxicology (1992) National Research Council, from National Academies Press.

Pesticides and Human Health  Adobe pdf (revision pending) - Dr. Kelly Martin This brochure was developed based on a review of the literature completed in 1990's. Brochure will be updated following completion of research project to renew current scientific evidence on pesticides.

Poorly Understood Conditions of the 21st Century: A Look at Chronic Fatigue Symdrome, Fibromyalgia, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity  Adobe pdf in the Canadian Journal of Diagnosis

Taking An Exposure History  Adobe pdf Dr. Lynn Marshall These sheets are designed as tools for taking patient's history with respect to exposure to environmental contaminents


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