Opinion: Report: More people should be tested for potential exposure to ‘forever chemicals’

Nearly every American has been exposed at some point to a class of compounds known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short. These substances, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because they persist in many environments — including the human body — are present in a huge array of consumer products, from food packaging to stain-resistant couches; are in firefighting foam and used in many manufacturing processes; and have contaminated the drinking water sources of millions of Americans in more than 2,800 U.S. communities .
Although researchers have known about the impact of these chemicals for years, there has been little guidance available for clinicians. A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) aims to change that. Read the rest…