NEWS **********FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OHIO NETWORK FOR THE CHEMICALLY INJURED
for further information contact: Toni Temple      (440) 845-1888

MCS ADVOCACY GROUP RESPONDS TO FEDERAL INTERAGENCY WORKGROUP
          REPORT ON NULTIPLE CHENICAL SENSITIVITY

     Cleveland, Ohio ....... The Ohio Network for the Chemically
Injured (ONFCI) recently submitted its 14-page response to the
Predecisional Draft, A REPORT ON MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY,
to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
the federal agency providing administrative support to the
Interagency Workgroup researching this serious health problem.
     MCS disability has been the center of political controversy
for some t4Lme, however, reports of MCS and Desert Storm Mvstery
Illness have become more prevalent and the disability numbers
continue to escalate.  ONFCI responded to the Workgroup's public
health evaluation of the extent and nature of MCS and its
recommendations for future federal agency actions.  Some theories
of MCS presented in the Report included limbic kindling,
olfactory nerve response, classical conditioning and
psychological origin of MCS.  ONFCI recommendations for research
on MCS include possible nutritional depletion by chemicals as
causation and environmental cause and effect correlation studies.
     In commenting on ONFCI's response to the Report, Toni
Temple, Chair of ONFCI, said 'We feel our comments will dispel
the scientifically unproven psychological theories of MCS and the
political controversy surrounding it.' ONFCI's response is
written in 'common-sense" fashion in an easy to follow format.
                  
      Temple states, 'too many have been suffering from the ill
health effects of added chemicals in our foods, clothing and
environment without proper medical diagnosis.  Our report not
only recommends education of physicians and health care workers
in toxicology and nutrition, but more importantly suggests the
distribution of educational pamphlets to the public on the proper
precautions to take when using any toxic chemical.  This could
drastically reduce not only MCS disability but numerous other
diseases including asthma, attention deficit disorders, cancer,
lupus, memory loss and learning disabilities.'
     ONFCI encourages those concerned about their health or
future health to obtain a free copy of the Interagency Report
which was first announced in the Federal Register on August 25,
1998 and to provide their own personal comments to the ATSDR.
The public comment period has been extended to December 15, 1998.
Free copies of the report are available by calling (800) 447-
1544.  Further information about HCS or the Ohio Network for the
Chemically Injured may be obtained by sending a self-addressed
stamped envelope to P.O. Box 29290, Parma, Ohio 44129 or phoning
(440) 845-1888.  The Cuyahoga County Public Library provides a
free pamphlet on Environmental Illness which is available at all
their branches as well as numerous books on the subject of MCS.