CIPHI Seminar Series: Misperceptions: Let's take the “Myth-stery” out of mold
Date and time
Location
Webinar ONLY
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1V2 CanadaDescription
CIPHI Seminar Series: Misperceptions: Let's take the “Myth-stery” out of mold
The subject of mold exposures is highly controversial, poorly understood and misperceptions abound. Many people believe that mold moves in mysterious ways, causing many different maladies. This belief is not based on facts, and contributes to the "scary" connotation often attributed to mold, further perpetuating the mythology. In this presentation, Peter Pityn and Jim Anderson will explore some of the myths about “toxic black mold” and the factors that have given rise to these misperceptions. The goal of the session is to differentiate fact from fiction and thereby provide what they believe is the best evidence of the real health issues associated with mold.
Educational objectives for the audience:
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Evidence that the risk of mold is often overstated, mis-stated, or misunderstood
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Well established clinical and scientific knowledge contradict the myths of “toxic black mold”
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Public Health Guidelines: mixed messages
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Mold investigations and over-prescribed sampling
Presenters: Peter Pityn (OSHTECH Inc.) and James Anderson (Environmental Allergy Assays)
Peter has worked extensively in occupational hygiene and environmental health consulting for the last 30+ years dealing with a wide range of issues from air contamination, to sick buildings, exposures to toxic substances, inhalational diseases, worker illness investigations, and so on. He is also the technical director of an ISO 17025 certified laboratory operated by OSHTECH. In recent years, Peter has conducted a number of research studies on mold exposure, which have been published and presented to medical, engineering and scientific audiences. Peter and his colleague, Jim, have been invited by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology on a number of occasions to present seminars dealing with misperceptions about mold.
Jim is a specialist in environmental allergies and aerobiology. He has been in private practice working with OSHTECH for the last several years, but his career included several years of work in the clinical and research environment. Among other things, Jim is certified by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology for enumeration of pollens and molds. At AAAAI he is a longstanding member of the Aerobiology Committee and also the group of Allied Health Professionals. Jim has conducted many investigations of mold exposures in schools, homes, court buildings, offices, etc. Jim has contributed to a number of very recent conference presentations, journal publications, educational and training seminars, etc. on the subject of mold and pollen exposures, as well as impacts of climate change. Jim has been invited by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology on a number of occasions to present informative seminars for clinicians on the subject of separating facts from fiction about mold.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.
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Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or events@oahpp.ca.