61
Views
5
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Commentaries

A Critique of the ACOEM Statement on Mold: Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest in the Creation of an “Evidence-Based” Statement

Pages 283-298 | Published online: 19 Jul 2013

References

  • ACOEM Overview [Internet]. East Grove Village, IL: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; 2008. Available from: http://www.acoem.org/aboutACOEM.aspx.
  • Vision/Mission Statement [Internet], East Grove Village, IL: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medi-cine; c 2008. Available from: http://www.acoem.org/vision.aspx.
  • Hardin BD, Kelman BJ, Saxon A. Adverse human health effects associated with molds in the indoor environment. J Occup Env-iron Med. 2003; 45 (5): 470–478.
  • Subpoena to ACOEM. Diane Faria et al. V. WDC/DLGSequoia Fairways, et al. Superior Court, County of Sacramento, State of California. No. 99AS01722. June 5, 2003.
  • Shekelle PG, Woolf SH, Eccles M, Grimshaw J. Clinical guide-lines: developing guidelines. Brit Med J. 1999; 318: 593–596.
  • Shaneyfelt TM, Mayo-Smith MF, Rothwang1J. Are guidelines fol-lowing guidelines? The methodological quality of clinical prac-tice guidelines in the peer-reviewed medical literature. J Amer Med Assoc. 1999; 281: 1900–1905.
  • Shiffman RN, Shekelle P. Overhage JM, et al. Standardized reporting of clinical practice guidelines: a proposal from the Conference on Guideline Standardization. Ann Int Med 2003; 139: 493–498.
  • American Industrial Hygiene Assocation (AIHA) Biosafety Committee. Dillon KH, Heinsohn PA, Miller JD (Eds). Field Guide for the Determination of Biological Contaminants in Environmental Samples. AIHA Publications, Fairfax, VA, 1996.
  • American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control. ACGIH, Cincinnati, OH, 1999.
  • Bornehag CG, Blomquist G, Gyntelberg F., et al Dampness in buildings and health. Nordic interdisciplinary review of the scientific evidence on associations between exposure to ‘damp-ness’ and health effects. NORDAMP. Indoor Air. 2001; 11: 72–86.
  • California Department of Health Services. Mold in my home: what do I do? Indoor Air Quality Info Sheet. March, 1998.
  • US EPA. Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Build-ings. Office of Air and Radiation, Indoor Environments Divi-sion, Publication No. EPA 402-K-01-001, Washington, DC, March 2001.
  • US EPA. A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home, 2002. http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html.
  • Worksafe BC. OHS Guidelines Part 4 General. G4.79 Moulds and indoor air quality. June 14, 2002.
  • Grilli R, Magrini N, Penna A., et al Practice guidelines devel-oped by specialty societies: the need for a critical appraisal. Lancet 2000; 355: 103–106.
  • ACOEM Environmental Medicine Committee. Multiple chemi-cal sensitivities: idiopathic environmental intolerance. J Occup Environ Med. 1999; 41: 940–942.
  • Procedures for Creating ACOEM Position Papers and Guide-lines [Internet]. East Grove Village, IL: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; c2008. Available from: http://www.acoem.org/guidelines.aspx?id---560.
  • Borak J. Email to Philip Harber, MD, MPH, June 16, 2002.
  • Bousquet J, Bieber T, Fokkens W., et al Consensus statements, evidence-based medicine and guidelines in allergic diseases. Allergy 2008; 63: 1–4.
  • Hodgson M. The sick building syndrome. Occupational Medi-cine: State of the Art Reviews. 1995; 10: 167–175.
  • Redlich CA, Sparer J, Cullen MR. Sick-building syndrome. The Lancet. 1997; 349: 1013–1016.
  • Johanning E, Yang CS (Eds.). Proceedings of the International Conference, “Fungi and Bacteria in Indoor Air Environments: Health Effects, Detection and Remedation,” Eastern New York Occupational Health Program, 1994, Albany, NY, October 6-7, 1994.
  • Hodgson MJ, Morey P, Leung WY., et al Building-associated pul-monary disease from exposure to Stachybotrys chartarum and Aspergillus versicolor. J Occup Environ Med. 1998; 40: 241–249.
  • Johanning E, Biagini R, Hull D, Morey P., et al Health and immunology study following exposure to toxigenic fungi (Stachybotrys chartarum) in a water-damaged office environ-ment. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1996; 68: 207–218.
  • Craner J, Stetzenbach L. Diagnosing the cause of a sick build-ing: a case study of an epidemiological and microbiological investigation. In Johanning E (Ed.), Bioaerosols, Fungi and Mycotoxins: Health Effects, Assessment, Prevention and Con-trol. Eastern New York Occupational and Environmental Health Center, Albany, NY, 1999.
  • Koskinen OM, Husman TM, Meklin TM, Nevalainen Al. The relationship between moisture or mould observations in houses and the state of health of their occupants. Eur Respir J 1999; 14: 1363–1367.
  • Husman T. Health effects of indoor-air microorganisms. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1996; 22: 5–13.
  • Ebbehoj NE, Hansen MO, Sigsgaard T, Larsen L. Building-related symptoms and molds: a two-step intervention study. Indoor Air. 2002; 12: 273–277.
  • Gwo-Hwa W, Chih-Shan L. Dampness and airway inflammation and systemic symptoms in office building workers. Arch Env Health. 1999; 54: 1–10.
  • Engvall K, Norby C, Norback D. Sick building syndrome in rela-tion to building dampness in multi-family residential buildings in Stockholm. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2001; 74: 270–278.
  • Andersen B, Nielsen KF, Jarvis BB. Characterization of Stachy-botrys from water-damaged buildings based on morphology, growth, and metabolite production. Mycologia. 2002; 94: 392–403.
  • Pasanen AL. A review: fungal exposure assessment in indoor environments. Indoor Air. 2001; 11: 87–98.
  • Cooley JD, Wong WC, Jumper CA, Straus DC. Correlation between the prevalence of certain fungi and sick building syn-drome. Occup Environ Med. 1998;55;579–584
  • American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Report of Microbial Growth Task Force. AIHA Press, May 2001.
  • Hamilton A. Beware Toxic Mold. Time. July 2, 2001, pp. 54–55.
  • Jacob J. Toxic black mold-the next asbestos? Seattle Daily Jour-nal of Commerce. July 25, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Bryan Hardin, PhD. February 27, 2002.
  • ACOEM Membership Directory, 2001.
  • Robbins CA, Swenson LJ, Neatly ML, Gots RE, Kelman BJ. Health effects of mycotoxins in indoor air: a critical review. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2000; 15: 773–784.
  • Kelman B. Comments on Developmental toxicity and reproduc-tive effects, submitted on behalf of Philip Morris. In “Health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke,” Appendix B: Summary of Public Comments and Responses on the February, 1997 Final Draft. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assess-ment, California Environmental Protection Agency, pp. B46-B58. Available through UCSF Legacy Tobacco Documents Library and http://www.forces.org/evidence/download/ets-comm.pdf.
  • Kelman B. Deposition. Kerruish et al v. Kimball Hill Homes Cal-ifornia, et al. Superior Court of The State of California, County of Sacramento. Case No. 01AS03525. June 28, 2006. pp. 111-112.
  • Armstrong D. Court of Opinion Amid Suits Over Mold, Experts Wear Two Hats. Authors of Science Paper Often Cited by Defense Also Help in Litigation. Wall Street Journal. January 9, 2007; p. Al.
  • Perkes C. Dream homes become nightmare: Santa Ana condos provided low-cost ownership and disillusionment. Orange County Register, March 22, 2002.
  • Spectrum Community Association v. Bristol House Partnership, et al. State of California, County of Orange Superior Court. Case No. 00-cc-07398.
  • Saxon A. Deposition. Allison and Winton vs. West Del Amo Pacific Condominium Association, et al. Los Angeles, CA. Supe-rior Court, County of Los Angeles, State of California. Case No. YC 040331. Feb. 1, 2002. p. 48.
  • Saxon A. Deposition. Hake v Coleman Homes et al. Eighth Judi-cial District Court, Clark County, Nevada. Case No. A496174. November 28, 2006. pp. 159-161.
  • Lane C, Mulrow C. Peer review: integral to science and indispen-sable to Annals (editorial). Ann Int Med. 2003; 139: 1038–1040.
  • Charlton BG. Conflicts of interest in medical science: peer usage, peer review and ‘Col consultancy’ (editorial). Medical Hypotheses. 2004; 63: 181–186.
  • Moghissi AA. Peer review (editorial). Environ Internat. 1997; 23: 749–750.
  • Dreger M. Email to Alan Engelberg; Bernard R. Blais; Bruce Breitenstein; et al., June 14, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to Carson, Arch I; Covl, Clayton T; Delclos, George; et al., June 14, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to P J Brownson; J Borak; T Key et al. June 14, 2002.
  • Harber P. Email to Jonathan Borak, MD. June 15, 2002.
  • Delclos G. Email to Philip Harber, MD, MPH, et al, June 16, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to Alan H Hall; Brent T Burton; Brian For-rester, MD; et al. June 21, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to Alain Couturier, MD; Brian S. Schwartz, MD; Bruce Barron, MD; et al. June 21, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to Alan M. Ducatman, MD; Athena T. Jolly, MD; Charles Becker, MD. et al. June 21, 2002.
  • Brownson P. Email to Marianne Dreger; Alan Engleberg; Bernard R. Blais; et al. June 14, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Alan Ducatman. June 26, 2002.
  • Engleberg AL. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 17, 2002.
  • Evans D. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 24, 2002.
  • Favata EA. Email to Marianne Dreger. July 24, 2002.
  • Fitko J. Email to P. J. Brownson. June 24, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Tim Gilmore. August 7, 2002.
  • Key T. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 14, 2002.
  • Ripen H. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 24, 2002.
  • McLellan B. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 24, 2002.
  • Mitchell CS. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 24, 2002.
  • Phillips S. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 19, 2002.
  • Sherson D. Email to Stephen Wintermeyer. June 24, 2002.
  • Smith DD. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 17, 2002.
  • Townsend MC. Email to Marianne Dreger. July 3, 2002.
  • Zepeda C. Email to Marianne Dreger. June 21, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Bryan Hardin, PhD. April 22, 2003.
  • Wright RS, Dyer Z, Liebhaber MI, Kell DL, Harber P. Hypersen-sitivity pneumonitis from Pezizia domiciliana. A case of El Niño lung. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1999; 160: 1758–61.
  • Favata EA, Neill HM, Yang CS. Emerging microbial diseases of the indoor environment. In: Couturier AJ, editor. Occupa-tional and environmental infectious diseases. Beverly Farms, MA: OEM Press; 2000. pp. 697-716.
  • Camp J. Email to Tim Gilmore, MD. August 8, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Tim Gilmore, MD. August 8, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Bryan Hardin, PhD. August 15, 2002.
  • Hodgson M, Dearborn D. Human pulmonary disease and exposure to Stachybotrys chartarum and other toxigenic fungi (letter). J Occup Env Med. 2002; 44: 705–707.
  • Hodgson M, Miller D, Jarvis B, Storey E. Mycotoxins and build-ing-related illness (reply to letter). J Occup Environ Med. 1998; 40: 763–764.
  • Hardin B. Email to Jonathan Borak, MD. August 16, 2002.
  • Borak J. Email to Dean Grove, MD. September 6, 2002.
  • Hardin BD, Kelman BJ, Saxon A. Adverse human health effects associated with molds in the indoor environment. Undated.
  • Hardin BD, Kelman BJ, Saxon A. Adverse human health effects associated with molds in the indoor environment. Hand-dated 9/23/02.
  • Harber P. Email to Jonathan Borak, MD. October 1, 2002.
  • Hardin BD, Kelman BJ, Saxon A. Adverse human health effects associated with molds in the indoor environment. October 8, 2002.
  • Hardin BD, Kelman BJ, Saxon A. Adverse human health effects associated with molds in the indoor environment. October 27, 2002. Available from: http://www.acoem.org/guidelines.aspx? id=850#.
  • Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine [Inter-net]. East Grove Village, IL: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; 2008. Available from: http://www.acoem.org/joem.aspx.
  • Borak J. Email to Barry Eisenberg. September 11, 2002.
  • Hardin B. Letter to Jonathan Borak, MD. September 23, 2002.
  • Saxon A. Deposition. Spearman v. Pender County Board of Education, et al. State Of North Carolina In The General Court Of Justice, Superior Court Division. Case No. 02 CVS 1029. October 27, 2004. p. 54.
  • Saxon A. Deposition. Taylor v. Nikal Ltd., et al. Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles - North Cen-tral District. Case No. EC042106. July 20, 2007. pp. 13-14.
  • Kelman B. Deposition. Killian v. Equity Residential Trust, et al. US District Court, District of Arizona. Case No.CIV-02-1272-PHX-FJM. June 22, 2004, pp. 904-906.
  • Bernacki E. Email to ACOEM email distribution list. November 6, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to Bryan Hardin, PhD. October 30, 2002.
  • Van Emon JM, Reed AW, Yike I, Vesper S. ELISA measurementof stachylysin(TM) in serum to quantify human exposures to the indoor mold stachybotrys chartarum. J Occup Environ Med. 2003; 45: 582–591.
  • Harbut M. Email to Duke OEM List (occ-env-med-L@mc. duke.edu). January 29, 2003.
  • Hardin B. Email to Marianne Dreger. March 28, 2003.
  • Hardin B. Email to Marianne Dreger. April 4, 2003.
  • Hardin B. Email to Jonathan Borak, MD. April 22, 2003.
  • Paddack DM. Email to Ann Dixon (National Library of Medi-cine) and Marianne Dreger. April 29, 2003.
  • Sudakin D. Email to Marianne Dreger. November 8, 2002.
  • Hardin B. Email to Marianne Dreger. October 31, 2002.
  • Dreger M. Email to Bryan Hardin. January 30, 2003.
  • Hope J. Email to Marianne Dreger. January 31, 2003.
  • US Chamber of Commerce. “The Growing Hazard of Mold Lit-igation” (Executive Summary), July 2003. Available from: http://www.uschamber.com/publications/reports/030717_ilr_mold.htmorhttp://www.aia.org/static/state_local_resources/liabilityreform/US%20Chamber-mold%2Oreport%20exec.pdf
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Center for Legal Policy. A Scien-tific View of the Health Effects of Mold. Bryan Hardin, PhD (Veritox), Andrew Saxon MD (UCLA), Correen Robbins, PhD, CIH (Veritox) and Bruce J. Kelman, PhD, DABT (Veritox). Available from: http://www.uschambencom/publications/ reports/030717_ilr_mold.htm.
  • Bush RK, Portnoy JM, Saxon A., et al The medical effects of mold exposure. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 117: 326–333.
  • Strickland MH. How solid is the Academy position paper on mold exposure? (letter). J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 118: 763–764.
  • Kilburn KR, Gray M, Kramer S. Nondisclosure of conflicts of interest is perilous to the advancement of science (letter). J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 118: 766–767.
  • Portnoy J. Deposition. Abad v. Wasatch Property Management, et al. Superior Court in the State of Arizona, County of Pima. Case No. C-2002-4299. June 30, 2006. pp. 22-23; 32.
  • Correction to “The medical effects of mold exposure.” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 117: 1373. Available from: http:// www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749 (06) 00921-3/fulltext.
  • Hardin BD, Kelman BJ, Saxon A. Reply to The Medical Effects of Mold Exposure.” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007; 119: 256–257.
  • Craner J. Deposition. Olman v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. District Court, Clark County, Nevada. Case No. A499462. August 6, 2007. p. 18.
  • Allems TS. Deposition. Kerruish et al v Kimball Hill Homes California, et al. Superior Court of the State of California, County of Sacramento. Case No. 01AS03525. June 12,2006. pp. 90-91.
  • Guidotti T. Ambush Above the Fold: ACOEM Response to Recent Mold Issue. January 15, 2007. http://www.acoem.org/ guidelines.aspx?catID=1.
  • Committee on Damp Indoor Spaces and Health, Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Institute Of Medi-cine Of The National Academies. Damp Indoor Spaces and Health. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2004.
  • LaDou J. Occupational Medicine: The Case for Reform. Am J Prey Med. 2005; 28: 396–402.
  • LaDou J, Teitelbaum DT, Egilman DS., et al American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM): A Professional Association in Service to Industry. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2007; 13: 404–426.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.