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HEAL webinar series on the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS are also called “forever chemicals” because they can take up to 1,000 years to break down in the environment with some not breaking down at all. These chemicals can be found in many consumer products, such as non-stick frying pans, food packaging, and cosmetics. Scientific evidence has linked PFAS exposure to numerous serious health impacts, including different types of cancer, immune dysfunction and hormone disruption. The EU is currently working to restrict the use of PFAS. 

To raise awareness of the impacts of PFAS on human health, HEAL organises a webinar series on the topic, with leading experts in the field exploring the various health effects of PFAS exposure. The first webinar, held in October 2024, focused on the impacts of PFAS on the immune system, and the second held in November 2024 focused on PFAS exposure in early life and pregnancy, with the subsequent one focusing on PFAS and its links to cancer. Recordings of the webinars will be made available below.

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Webinar: PFAS and cancer – 23 January, 15.00 CET

This session will be organised jointly with the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) and will explore links between PFAS and Cancer in the context of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluation and relevant epidemiological data.

The webinar will feature Dr. Tony Fletcher, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Fletcher contributes to several PFAS research studies, focusing on exposed communities in Ronneby, Sweden and Veneto, Italy.

Register here

Past webinars:

PFAS exposure during pregnancy and early life

Nikolaos (Nikos) Stratakis, PhD, MSc is a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in exposome science and its role in childhood metabolic health. He holds a PhD in Epidemiology from Maastricht University and an MSc in Nutritional Medicine from the University of Surrey. Dr. Stratakis focuses on the complex interactions between environmental exposures and biological pathways that contribute to metabolic diseases, such as metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease. Currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), he combines exposome analysis with multi-omics in population-based birth cohorts to identify early-life environmental determinants of liver disease risk. Dr. Stratakis has published widely in leading journals, and his work seeks to integrate exposome data with molecular profiling to inform precision environmental health strategies for chronic disease prevention across the life course. Dr. Stratakis is a partner in the EU-funded research project ATHLETE, that aims to better understand and prevent the effects of environmental hazards on human health from preconception until adolescence. In this webinar, Mr Stratakis delves into the long-term impacts of PFAS with insights into the link between early-life PFAS and childhood metabolic health.

Research indicates that maternal exposure to PFAS may disrupt key metabolic pathways in offspring, contributing to potential health issues such as obesity and cardiovascular disease later in life. Early life exposure to these ‘forever chemicals’ heightens the urgency to minimize contact during critical development stages to safeguard children’s future health.

Impacts of PFAS on the immune system

Philippe Grandjean, MD, PhD, dr.h.c. is Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Southern Denmark and Research Professor at the University of Rhode Island. He previously served for 30 years as advisor on toxicology at the Danish Health Authority and for 20 years as Adjunct Professor at Harvard School of Public Health. His recent research on environmental epidemiology has focused on perfluorinated substances. His research has inspired the lowering of PFAS exposure limits in the EU and the US.  In this webinar, Professor Grandjean presents his work on the impacts of PFAS on vaccine responses, and the implications for immunity against infectious diseases:

Studies show that PFAS exposure weakens the immune system, leading to a reduced response to vaccines, particularly in children. This is a very alarming finding, as it leaves people vulnerable to disease. These chemicals are almost everywhere, and they remain in the body for years, accumulating with each exposure. We must take preventive action”

 

 

More resources on PFAS: 

  • For more information on how PFAS pollution affects communities across Europe and resources on PFAS, visit HEAL’s PFAS website. 

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