The Science Panel Website
These pages describe the C8 Science Panel and the Science Panel research program. Our research gathers and assesses information on health status and C8 exposure in the Mid Ohio Valley communities, potentially affected by the releases of C8 from the Washington Works plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The Science Panel consists of three epidemiologists who were chosen jointly by the parties to the legal settlement of a case between plaintiffs and DuPont regarding releases of C8 from the plant.
Science panel news and updates
March 26, 2009
Science panel holds press conference, and files status reports on half life and pregnancy outcomes
The Science Panel has filed a status report with the Wood County Court March 18 summarising results of analyses linking C8 exposure in the Mid Ohio valley to markers of immune status. These results were also presented at a scientific meeting - a workshop on the immune effects in animals and people of C8 type chemicals, at the annual conference of the Society of Toxicology - in Baltimore on March 19 by Science Panelist Tony Fletcher. For the full report filed with the court follow links to C8 results at left.
March 20, 2009
Science Panel files Status Report with the Court on C8 and immune system markers.
The Science Panel has filed a status report with the Wood County Court March 18 summarising results of analyses linking C8 exposure in the Mid Ohio valley to markers of immune status. These results were also presented at a scientific meeting - a workshop on the immune effects in animals and people of C8 type chemicals, at the annual conference of the Society of Toxicology - in Baltimore on March 19 by Science Panelist Tony Fletcher. The Status Report can be seen here. This report, along with two other status reports being filed with the Court this week, will be publicised locally through a press conference to be held in Parkersburg, and in the first edition of the new Science Panel newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter follow link at left for newsletter.
March 3, 2009
Science Panel launches e-Newsletter
The C8 Science Panel has set up an electronic newsletter service which will offer regular updates, informing subscribers by email of new findings and other news from the C8 Science Panel studies as soon as they are posted here on the C8 Science Panel website. The first Newsletter will be sent out late March. To sign up follow the link Newsletter on the left.
February 23, 2009
Deadline set for submitting consent forms to the Science Panel
To be in a Science Panel study, you need to have provided a consent form. If you would still like to consent, you need to do it as soon as possible. The final deadline for submitting the consent to the Science Panel is April 1, 2009. To consent, follow Consent Form item on left.
Contact information for Participants in Community and Worker Follow-up Studies
Contact phone number, email and website address information, and a "Q & A" summary, is provided on a new webpage here. Follow the links at left: C8 Study Participants, then Community and Worker Follow-up Studies.
January 27, 2009
C8 Science Panel Results on Uric Acid and C8: Status Report submitted to the Court
Today, the Science Panel released a summary report of findings on the recently-completed uric acid study. The report has been submitted to the Court and information sent to national press.
The report can be seen here. The press statement can be seen here.
October 15, 2008
First results from Science Panel submitted to the Court
Wednesday, October 15, the Science Panel held a press conference to release the first results in three reports arising from their study examining data from participants in the C8 Health Project, conducted in 2005-2006. Dr. Kyle Steenland presented factors associated with high C8 levels in the community, including current or former residence in water districts near to the DuPont Washington Works plant, and having ever worked at the plant. He also discussed the increased cholesterol levels among those with higher C8 levels in their blood, and the difficulty of knowing whether the increase in cholesterol came before or after the increase in C8. He also discussed another result which showed no increase in diabetes wih increasing C8 levels. The reports can be seen here. The press statement can be seen here.
October 2, 2008
Study of C8 and Neurobehavioral Development among Children from the C8 Health Project
Additional C8 Science Panel study on childrens' development now underway: see description in the C8 Science Panel Community program. See Neurobehavioral Development Study
August 11, 2008
New page added to Science Panel website with explanation of how C8 Health Studies results will be made public. See C8 Study Results
May 27, 2008
Copies of C8 testing Results can now be provided by the Science Panel. Please follow this link: C8 test results
May 20, 2008
Science Panel issues Press Release on Follow-Up Studies of Community and Workers
The C8 Science Panel, has announced that it will begin sending introductory letters in the next few weeks to those involved in their community and worker follow-up studies. The introductory letters will be followed by interviews in the fall, in which study participants will be asked about their medical history. See Press Release
16 May 2008
Science Panel issues Press Release in response to publication of some preliminary results on C8
Some preliminary results on the C8 Health Project population have been released by West Virginia University and picked up by the press. These include some simple tables and graphs relating C8 to several blood tests. To avoid misinterpretation of these results the Panel has issued a statement. We clarify that these do not represent a thorough data analysis and therefore, we do not believe they provide valid information regarding the presence or absence of association between C8 exposure and health outcomes. See Press Release
May 16, 2008
West Virginia University Activities in Relation to the Science Panel
Brookmar, Inc., which conducted the C8 Health Project, has contracted with West Virginia University to generate and make public some basic tabulations of data that were generated. Dr. Alan Ducatman of West Virginia University is leading this effort. Initial data were released in May 2008, and generated media interest and some questions regarding the role of West Virginia University with respect to the Science Panel. The Science Panel's charge is to assess whether there is a probable link between C8 exposure to community residents and health effects, and we will make extensive use of the information collected through the C8 Health Project for that purpose. The Science Panel is the only entity that is charged by the Court under the terms of the settlement with evaluating and reaching conclusions on this issue.
West Virginia University has recently released some simple preliminary tabulations of the data that could be misinterpreted as providing valid information regarding the presence or absence of association between C8 exposure and health outcomes. It is quite possible that the initial impressions from these simple tabulations may change considerably when we evaluate the information more systematically. In fact, the Science Panel, in collaboration with West Virginia University researchers and other scientists, is in the process of conducting these detailed analyses. When complete, the Science Panel reports will be filed with the Court, published in academic journals, and shared directly with the interested public.
Last updated March 3, 2009