Japan Officially Recognizes Multiple Chemical Senstivity, Treatment May Be Covered
Lourdes Salvador
June 24, 2009
Japanese officials at the Medical Information System Development Center have announced that chemical sensitivity syndrome will added to the list of illnesses used in electronic medical charts and claim forms as of October 1, 2009.
This marks the official recognition of the condition by the Japanese government and improves insurance coverage for treatment.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) is a chronic condition with reproducible symptoms in response to low levels of chemical exposure. These symptoms occur when the individual is exposed to multiple unrelated chemicals and improve or resolve when the trigger chemicals are removed. Multiple organ systems are affected by these exposures.
Products that MCS patients react to include any quantity of exposures to pesticides, secondhand smoke, alcohol, fresh paint, scented products and perfumes, candles, fragrances, food preservatives, flavor enhancers, aerosols, tap water, cosmetics, personal care products, new carpets, petroleum products, formaldehyde, outdoor pollutants, newspaper ink, cleaning compounds, printing and office products, and other synthetically derived chemicals.
A percentage also react to natural products that are highly concentrated such as natural orange cleaners due to high volatile organic compound and pesticide concentration. Symptoms can range from minor annoyances to life-threatening reactions.
Sick house syndrome was previously recognized as a result of indoor air pollution; however, the government had delayed the recognition of chemical sensitivity syndrome.
The prevalence of MCS, based on sample populations is 16% of the population. Gulf War veterans experience a higher rate at 33%.
People with MCS are less able to clear toxicants from their body, resulting in a toxic build up akin to chronic poisoning.
The listing of MCS for medical claims has met with approval from both patients and the physicians who treat them.
This article originally appeared in the MCS America News, June 2009 Issue http://mcs-america.org/Julyu2009.pdf. For more articles on this topic, see: MCSA News.
Copyrighted 2009 Lourdes Salvador & MCS America
This marks the official recognition of the condition by the Japanese government and improves insurance coverage for treatment.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) is a chronic condition with reproducible symptoms in response to low levels of chemical exposure. These symptoms occur when the individual is exposed to multiple unrelated chemicals and improve or resolve when the trigger chemicals are removed. Multiple organ systems are affected by these exposures.
Products that MCS patients react to include any quantity of exposures to pesticides, secondhand smoke, alcohol, fresh paint, scented products and perfumes, candles, fragrances, food preservatives, flavor enhancers, aerosols, tap water, cosmetics, personal care products, new carpets, petroleum products, formaldehyde, outdoor pollutants, newspaper ink, cleaning compounds, printing and office products, and other synthetically derived chemicals.
A percentage also react to natural products that are highly concentrated such as natural orange cleaners due to high volatile organic compound and pesticide concentration. Symptoms can range from minor annoyances to life-threatening reactions.
Sick house syndrome was previously recognized as a result of indoor air pollution; however, the government had delayed the recognition of chemical sensitivity syndrome.
The prevalence of MCS, based on sample populations is 16% of the population. Gulf War veterans experience a higher rate at 33%.
People with MCS are less able to clear toxicants from their body, resulting in a toxic build up akin to chronic poisoning.
The listing of MCS for medical claims has met with approval from both patients and the physicians who treat them.
This article originally appeared in the MCS America News, June 2009 Issue http://mcs-america.org/Julyu2009.pdf. For more articles on this topic, see: MCSA News.
Copyrighted 2009 Lourdes Salvador & MCS America