FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (PRWEB)
January 21, 2022

PFAS Exposure™, the first at-home test to determine levels of PFAS in a person’s blood and measure 47 of these PFAS “forever chemical” compounds, is now available from empowerDX, a leading online health and wellness resource for a wide variety of at-home health testing.

A press conference announcing complete details of empowerDX’s new PFAS Exposure test will be held today, January 21 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Anyone may access at the Zoom link below or view the conference later posted in the company’s newsroom.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), such as PFOA, PFOS, and GenX, are man-made substances that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s Elevated levels of PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, elevated cholesterol, respiratory disease, and decreased fertility. One report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found PFAS in the blood of 97% of Americans.

The new, self-collected sampling kit by empowerDX measures the presence and levels of more than 40 PFAS compounds in capillary whole blood, significantly more than any other test currently available. The PFAS Exposure blood test expands upon the CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) biobank database where 16 PFAS compounds in serum are reported.

“Prior to the launch of our PFAS Exposure blood test, it was very difficult to understand an individual’s unique exposure to these forever chemicals in order to factor it into personalized risk assessment, screening and diagnostic planning,” said Dr. Travis Wilkes, M.D., Medical Director of empowerDX. “With the ease of our at-home finger prick test, we have enabled access to information on the amount of PFAS chemicals lurking in our bodies, thus allowing a level of insight regarding an environmental health determinant that transcends genetics, lifestyle and socioeconomics.”

Knowing the levels of PFAS in blood can help a person monitor environmental impacts to their own health. PFAS chemicals are used to make water-, grease- and stain-repellent coatings, and are found in such common items as fast-food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags, stain resistant carpet and clothes, cosmetics, non-stick cookware, cleaning products, and more. PFAS can also be found in soil, air, drinking water, and ground water.

Other major sources of PFAS are firefighting products, foam used to battle fires (Aqueous Film Forming Foam – AFFF), and military applications. Many PFAS “hot spots” are centered around military bases, and first responders in firehouses nationwide are at greatly elevated risk.

The new test requires no prescription, which is a leap forward for improving accessibility to testing in impacted communities. This test can be used for ages six months and up, and comes with complete instructions for a simple, at-home, finger prick blood collection, as well as return packaging direct to the laboratory. Results are provided securely and digitally within 10 days from receipt of sample, and include a complete list of the level of each type of PFAS detected. A detailed Test Guide is included with every lab report to help persons better understand their results; all empowerDX Test Guides are physician-reviewed and based on peer-reviewed research or emerging evidence.

If a person’s test shows elevated levels, they can reduce their exposure to PFAS with diet changes – for example by drinking water tested as PFAS-free, avoiding fish caught in high-risk areas, not cooking with nonstick pans, and avoiding water-repellant food packaging. Consult the Consumer Product Safety Commission at (800) 638-2772 for exact products containing PFAS or view the tip sheet from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Other valuable resources include referring to the EWG’s high risk area map. People in hot spots should exercise caution with water and soil exposure. There are CDC studies in seven areas of the U.S. that expand upon landmark work that began with the Portsmouth, N.H. Pease Study.

PFAS Exposure blood tests from empowerDX can be purchased online for $399 and are shipped directly to the customer. Contact empowerDX at hello@empowerdxlab.com or via the online help portal.

Reporters may use the chat room to ask questions of the presenters at today’s 10:30 a.m. ET Zoom press conference by registering at the following link:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Zg1344LuQmG6mxy4ZFMEUg

About empowerDX

empowerDX is the online shop for easy at-home health testing. empowerDX specializes in FDA-authorized COVID-19 testing, women’s health, men’s health, sexual health and general wellness testing. empowerDX is positioned to lead the market for cutting edge, self-collected diagnostic and non-diagnostic testing at several U.S.-based CLIA-certified clinical and environmental labs which meet rigorous FDA and CDC standards. Delia Vallejo is vice president and general manager; Dr. Travis Wilkes, MD is medical director. To learn more, visit empowerdxlab.com

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