“CHARLESTON, S.C., July 27 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Policyholders of America (POA) released a consensus statement written by treating physicians and researchers in the field on the mechanism and treatment of illness found in people sickened by exposure to water-damaged buildings. This illness has been the subject of heated debate that has resulted in harsh allegations being lobbed at patients by experts hired by industry to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the illness…is now unveiled to be very real; it’s a chronic inflammatory illness that is easily identified with available lab testing and treatable using FDA-approved medications. The research paper is the first in the field written by physicians with experience treating the illness. Thorough and rigorous, the paper references governmental agency opinions, current published literature and an extensive review of patient data that has made this subject a political and legal hot potato obstructing patient care…The research paper is being released to help physicians and their patients understand the mechanisms, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment protocols available for sickened patients….the authors embarked on this massive assignment with eyes wide open — knowing…industry would likely attempt to discredit the findings…illness now has a name: Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome or “CIRS”, and when the cause of the illness can be directly linked to a water-damaged building, or (“WDB”), it is called “CIRS-WDB“.
Says Co-Author, Ritchie Shoemaker, MD, of Pocomoke, Maryland, “This statement builds consensus by debunking false ideas about illness from water-damaged buildings and establishes the basis by which practicing physicians can assess the complex illnesses these patients experience. We don’t have to guess what might be wrong when we have the labs to prove what is abnormal. Patients don’t have to suffer any longer after being given incorrect diagnoses such as allergy, stress or depression.”
Co-authors included Laura Mark MD from Williamsburg, Virginia; Scott McMahon MD from Roswell, New Mexico; Jack Thrasher PhD of Oakland, California and Carl Grimes HHS, CIEC, President of the Indoor Air Quality Association, from Denver, Colorado.
A layperson’s summary of :the Report on Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Caused by Exposure to the Interior Environment of Water-Damaged Buildings concludes:
- CIRS-WDB is a multisystem, multi-symptom illness acquired following exposure to the interior environment of WDB. It exists as a recognizable syndrome that is identifiable and treatable;
- CIRS-WDB is identified as immunologic in origin, with differential inflammatory responses seen according to (i) genetic susceptibility and (ii) unique aspects of host innate immune responses.
- CIRS-WDB consistently involves loss of normal control of inflammation and the resulting “inflammation gone wild.”
- Treatment of human illness that is acquired following exposure to the interior environment of WDB involves a series of steps, each correcting the physiologic problems one by one.
- CIRS-WDB can be readily identified by current methods of clinical diagnoses. This process of diagnosis is supported by (i) identification of unique subsets (“clusters”) of symptoms found in epidemiologic cohorts of affected patients; (ii) identification of unique groupings of biomarkers, such as genetic markers, neuropeptides, inflammatory markers, and autoimmune findings.
- Patients with CIRS-WDB are often given incorrect diagnoses such as depression, stress, allergy, fibromyalgia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and somatization. Those conditions, when actually present, will not improve with therapies employed in CIRS-WDB.
- CIRS-WDB is acquired primarily from inhalation of microbial products that are contaminants found in the complex mixture of WDB.
- Re-exposure of previously affected patients will bring about immunological host responses that are enhanced in their rapidity of onset and magnitude, such that these patients are “sicker, quicker.”
Melinda Ballard, POA’s president said, “About 25% of our members have experienced health effects after exposure to toxigenic mold and other organisms in their homes….Most importantly, the rigorous science in the paper offers hope to so many who are in desperate need of an effective and inexpensive treatment.
POA is a nonprofit educational organization that, at no charge, helps policyholders receive adequate payment when a property insurance claim is filed. Since it was founded in 2001, more than 2.5 million people have joined, an unfortunate reflection on the manner in which claims are often handled by insurance companies. Its web address is: www.policyholdersofamerica.org. POA is a member of ACHEMMIC (the Action Committee on the Health Effects of Mold, Microbes and Indoor Contaminants), a group of scientists, researchers, physicians, indoor air quality experts, environmental engineers, industrial hygienists, structural engineers, teachers and advocates working to advance the understanding of the health effects of mold, microbes and indoor contaminants. ACHEMMIC’s website is www.achemmic.com.”
In a related matter we blogged of just a few days ago, CIRS-WDB was used as an illustration of CA politics and the “environmental science” of the US Chamber of Commerce as promoted by the University of California wreaking shear Hell in the lives of many California workers and others: Governor Schwarzenegger Picks Tani Cantil-Sakauye As Ca Chief Justice ~ Will She Mold Justice For The People of California?
Key related quotes from our July 22nd blog:
“The governor plucked appellate court judge Tani Cantil-Sakauye from near obscurity Wednesday when he named her to succeed Chief Justice Ronald George..as the Chief Justice of California’s Supreme Court. The governor formally introduced Cantil-Sakauye during a packed news conference under the Capitol dome…Cantil-Sakauye, 50, said she was humbled by the nomination and spoke briefly in generalities about her judicial philosophy. ‘Courts right the wrong and vanquish the indignities,’ she said…..George called Cantil-Sakauye the ideal person to lead the nation’s largest court system…which controls the court system’s $4 billion annual budget and sets policy for the state’s 1,700 judges. ‘This will go down as one of the most exceptional decisions of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s administration,” said George, who told the governor the nomination was one of his ‘finest legacies’…Legal analysts said Cantil-Sakauye’s legal opinions reflect a moderate Republican philosophy in the same mold as George..”
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was able to name Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye as California’s next chief justice so quickly -– it has been only a week since Chief Justice Ronald George announced his retirement –- because the administration was already vetting her for a promotion. Arthur Scotland, presiding justice of the state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal, said he told the Schwarzenegger administration about three weeks ago that, though he had not yet filed any retirement paperwork, he was considering stepping down this year. And Scotland said he, along with “every justice on this court, ‘had endorsed Cantil-Sakauye “to be the presiding justice when I retire.”
In May, Governor Schwarzenegger said before the California Chamber of Commerce “Well, I think it is – you know, Workers’ Compensation was a perfect example, because we did the reforms that gave back to the private sector $50 billion-plus in these last few years since we have had Workers’ Comp reform…. I have experts in my office that are – you know, like they have in rescue, they have those sniffing dogs? Well, I have sniffing dogs over there that sniff out job killers. (laughter) And they sniff from the time they start passing bills upstairs, or to debate the bills upstairs, they’re already sniffing. And then they come to me and they tell me about all of those job killers. And then I sit down and I look at them and I say, ‘Hasta la vista, baby.” (laughter).
But Businessweek reported in June that the Governor leaves his seven year term with a 23 percent approval rating and a $19.1 billion budget deficit…Schwarzenegger’s political action committee, plus and some prominent California executives, raised $4.6 million to promote a referendum, Proposition 14…backers such as.. the California Chamber of Commerce ($720,000)…Proposition 14 had been denounced by labor groups and the state’s six recognized political parties, some of which may mount a legal challenge. ‘The whole purpose of this is so the Chamber of Commerce can try to get business-friendly Democrats elected, who don’t support global warming, environmental legislation, or labor protection bills,’ says John Burton, head of the state’s Democratic Party. ‘This isn’t going to change anything.”
Agnotology is “the study of culturally-induced ignorance or doubt, particularly the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. Ignorance is often not merely the absence of knowledge but an outcome of cultural and political struggle.” It is time to say “Hasta la vista, Baby” to the fraud in health marketing that aids to increase profits of the industry affiliates of the US Chamber of Commerce, primarily insurers, and under the marketing spin in terminology of Workers’ Comp “Reform”
Agnotology, the adverse impact it has had on California workers, US society and its threat to Democracy as a whole is demonstrated by using the mold issue. In 2003 the US Chamber published and mass disseminated a medico-legal off white paper that professed it was scientifically proven all claims of illness and death from exposure to the toxic components of mold were only being made because of “trial lawyers, media, and Junk Science”. This fraud in health marketing by the US Chamber that is used to save workers comp and property casualty insurers money, is one in the collection of a series of publications used to instill bias in the courts favorable to industry. Two key others are the position statements of two US medical associations: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) and American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). These three papers all claim they are scientifically grounded and are substantiated by the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) when purportedly scientifically establishing lack of causation of illness from mold. They ARE NOT. They are frauds in health marketing used to stave off financial liability for the money crowd and are adverse to the health and safety of the American public and American worker. All three of these papers, ACOEM, AAAAI and US Chamber of Commerce, carry the name “University of California” to lend credibility to the fallacy of their words.
These false words have been used to mass market misinformation for the purpose of biasing the courts in order to stave off insurer responsibility to the sick and injured; and while shifting the cost burden for these rightfully insured illnesses onto tax payers’ state disability funds. In other words, it is insurance fraud by the US Chamber of Commerce and affiliates at the expense of the American public. Commonly referred to within the US Chamber, this fraudulent situation is known as “views for dues” . Again, according to Governor Schwarzenegger when addressing the Ca Chamber of Commerce, “Workers’ Compensation was a perfect example, because we did the reforms that gave back to the private sector $50 billion-plus in these last few years since we have had Workers’ Comp reform’..’the Governor leaves his seven year term with a 23 percent approval rating and a $19.1 billion budget deficit”
On April 28, 2010 a Letter was sent to UC Regent Schwarzenegger re: conflicts of interest within University of California medical teaching facilities used to teach the “environmental science” of the US Chamber. This fraud in health marketing that is used to bias the courts against the environmentally ill and against their legal and medical proponents; not only increases private sector insurer profits–the University of California (UC) profits from UC physician’s expert witness fees on behalf of the insurance industry..
The US Chamber medico-legal fraud in health marketing that carries the University of California name used to bias the courts:
1. Was a paid for hire endeavor.
2. The contract for its authorship was only between the Corp of GlobalTox (now VeriTox) and the Manhattan Institute think-tank (self professed “gurus of tort reform”)
3. Nowhere is UC name or the UC physician, Andrew Saxon MD, who purportedly co-authored, found anywhere within the paper – except as being listed as an author.
4. No hours were billed in the creation of the Chamber paper, for anyone conferring with Saxon, the UC physician.
5. Saxon claims under oath he had no knowledge he was named as authoring the US Chamber publication and had not even read it as late as 3 years after its publication.
6. One Veritox owner, Kelman, has stated under oath that they were hired by the Manhattan Institute to write something for judges.
7. Another Veritox owner, Hardin, has stated under oath that the Chamber paper he co-authored with Kelman was a lobbying piece.
8. UC listed author, Saxon, was not paid, like Hardin and Kelman to author this fraud in health marketing.
9. No one claims authorship of the US Chamber publication on their CVs.
10. Saxon is the only physician and only non-Veritox owner listed as a purported co- author of the US Chamber paper– that falsely carries his and thus the UC name and bias the courts by lending false credibility to the US Chamber’s “environmental science”.
11. The Regents of the UC will take no action to have the UC name removed from the Chamber paper that is used to instill bias in the courts.
12. Neither will Saxon. He can’t without exposing his ACOEM mold statement co-authors, Hardin and Kelman, for putting his and the UC name of the US Chamber marketing piece, without his knowledge.
13. The University of California has generated much income via expert defense witness fees paid to the Regents when Saxon and other UC physicians use the Chamber et al’s, fraud in health marketing to bias the courts against injured workers and others.
14. ACOEM writes the workers comp guidelines that physicians in the State of California must follow under the guise of “Workers Comp “Reform”.
“We are cleaning up the system,” “We will terminate the fraud and abuse that was going on in the system.” “No longer will workers’ compensation be the poison of our economy.” “Those who were gaming the system, we’re saying, ‘Hasta la vista,’ because the game is over.” “California is open for business.” Governor Schwarzenegger, President of the Regents of the University of California before the California Chamber of Commerce. 2005
VIDEO: Watchdog On Science Blog – Corrupt Doctors: The Untold Mold Story ~ Worker’s Memorial Day, Los Angeles 8-09 ~ This is HOW the elaborate SCAM works that enables commerce & industry to deny liability for causation of worker illness and injury – while elected leaders from both parties turn a blind eye. (Note: the video link above regarding the systematic insurer fraud in Ca Workers Comp may be slow. It may also be viewed at: http://www.blip.tv/file/2520407)
“American democracy ‘may well be at risk’ as judicial campaigns turn into special-interest funded political contests in which candidates are pressured into taking political stances, Fourth District Court of Appeal Presiding Justice Judith McConnell told a community forum. McConnell, who in addition to presiding over Div. One is the chair of the Commission on Judicial Performance and a member of the Statewide Commission for Impartial Courts, made the remarks Thursday night at Southwestern Law School….’Judicial independence does not mean judges are unaccountable or allowed to follow their whims, it means they are independent of the other branches of government,’ she explained. Judges, she said, ‘should not be accountable to politicians…or the clamor of the moment…’
ACOEM is a professional association that represents the interests of its company employed physician members. Fifty years ago the ACOEM began to assert itself in the legislative arena as an advocate of limited regulation and enforcement of occupational health and safety standards and laws, and environmental protection. Today the ACOEM provides a legitimizing professional association for company doctors, and continues to provide a vehicle to advance the agendas of their corporate sponsors. Company doctors in ACOEM recently blocked attempts to have the organization take a stand on global warming. Company doctors employed by the petrochemical industry even blocked the ACOEM from taking a position on particulate air pollution. Industry money and influence pervade every aspect of occupational and environmental medicine. The controlling influence of industry over the ACOEM physicians should cease.
“UC’s Regents are a far cry from reflecting California’s socio-economic diversity. Regents are mostly wealthy lawyers, politicians and businesspeople. Political money, political allegiances and business relationships rule where appointments to the Board of Regents are concerned, and several regents have very close personal and financial ties to the Governor. An appointment to the Board of Regents is yet another coveted resume builder for the state’s elite class of high-achieving investment bankers, corporate lawyers, and power brokers – never mind the ordinary Californians who the University is supposed to be here to serve. Finally, by virtue of their extremely deep reach into California’s corporate and political world, many Regents fill their roles on the Board while coming dangerously close to what amount to potential conflicts of interest. Is this really the best UC can do to meet the needs of all Californians?” (“The University is governed by The Regents, which under Article IX, Section 9 of the California Constitution has ‘full powers of organization and governance’ subject only to very specific areas of legislative control. The article states that “the university shall be entirely independent of all political and sectarian influence and kept free therefrom in the appointment of its Regents and in the administration of its affairs.”)….the U.S. Chamber of Commerce typically doesn’t put itself out there as a big fan of socialism. But that all changes when we’re talking about risk and liability.”
“…And then they come to me and they tell me about all of those job killers. And then I sit down and I look at them and I say, ‘Hasta la vista, baby.’ (laughter)” Arnold Schwarzenegger, President of the Regents of the University of California, Governor of the State of California, Nominator of the Highest Judge in the Land when addressing the California Chamber of Commerce, May 18, 2010.
“Whenever I see job killers…or newborn infant apartment dwelling killers — caused by corruption, greed, political favors, and silence of those who know but don’t speak out to save the lives of others or those who remain silent because of complicity or for fear of retaliation, I say ‘Hasta la vista, baby’ (no laughing matter)“ Sharon Noonan Kramer, Advocate for integrity in health marketing of causation and accountability of environmental illnesses. July 20, 2010.
Again, Agnotology is “the study of culturally-induced ignorance or doubt, particularly the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. Ignorance is often not merely the absence of knowledge but an outcome of cultural and political struggle.”
Deceptive Mantra: “Trial Lawyers, Media Hype & Junk Science”
The stakes are high! The stakes are high! The stakes are high!
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has nominated a new chief justice, who will then face a retention vote on the November ballot. We hope she is able to curtail the undue influences of commerce on our courts that harm Californians and the US as a whole. “This will be one of the most important legacies that Gov. Schwarzenegger has to leave.. “ California Chief Justice Ronald George
Exposing Environmental Health Threats & Those Responsible for Them…I’ll be back…with more!
Katy
Katy's Exposure 