Blood Testing for PFAS Could Help Inform NH Residents, But Barriers Remain

By Ani Freedman | InDepthNH.org | October 13, 2023

Read the full article by Ani Freedman (InDepthNH.org)

“PFAS blood testing could be a way for people exposed to these chemicals to be proactive in their health, but barriers such as cost, accessibility, and an information deficit in the medical community make the process more challenging, medical experts and policymakers say.

Dr. Megan Romano, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, said in a phone interview that while it still isn’t possible to predict disease risk from blood testing, the tests can allow New Hampshire residents impacted by PFAS pollution to better understand their health risks. Romano specializes in the influence of exposure to environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as PFAS, on pregnant and breastfeeding women, and works to help people understand how to approach medical care and PFAS health risks.

While someone may not be experiencing symptoms, blood testing can help answer the unknowns of how PFAS exposure is impacting them and just how much exposure they have, Romano said."

This content provided by the PFAS Project.