Study questions mold as cause of serious health problems

No link can be found between the presence of dampness and mold in homes and the variety of serious health problems being claimed in court cases, suggests a new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A link was found between mold or excessive dampness in structures and the worsening of symptoms for those who already suffer asthma, as well as minor symptoms of coughing, wheezing and other upper respiratory tract symptoms. “However, the available evidence does not support an association between either indoor dampness or mold and the wide range of other health complaints that have been ascribed to them,” notes the report. This includes claims that mold causes asthma to appear in otherwise healthy individuals.”An exhaustive review of the scientific literature made it clear to us that it can be very hard to tease apart the health effects of exposure to mold from all the other factors that may be influencing health in the typical indoor environment,” chair of the committee writing the report, Noreen Clark. Studies conducted to test the health effects of dampness do not distinguish between different biological or chemical agents, some of which may be released from building materials.While it is not possible to completely rule out a connection between mold and more serious health effects, the committee could not find evidence of this in existing studies.Insurers welcomed the study’s findings. “The IOM study backs up our view that, other than allergic and asthmatic responses, there is no causal connection between mold and adverse health effects,” says David Golden, director of commercial lines for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). “The report reiterates what we have been saying for years: that mold is present everywhere and that key to preventing mold growth is controlling moisture. Because of the proliferation of mold in indoor and outdoor environments, and because reactions to mold vary from person to person, it is difficult if not impossible to set specific standards or exposure limits that are relevant for everyone.”The IOM does recommend further study of the issue, including animal testing, as well as work by local governments to raise awareness of the issue of indoor dampness.