ATLANTA, GA - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) need more participants in a study designed to better understand the extent of exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water near the Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (the Pease Study).

On November 16, 2021, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Pease Study staff will be on hand at the Food Court on Pease to screen for eligibility, schedule appointments, and answer questions from the community. The Food Court is located at 14 Manchester Square, Portsmouth, NH. Pease Study staff will use best practices to protect interested people from COVID-19.

Children (ages 4-17) and adults (aged 18 and older) who were exposed to PFAS-contaminated drinking water at Pease International Tradeport between January 2004 and May 2014 may be eligible to participate in the Pease Study. Children who never drank water from the Tradeport may also be eligible. If you meet any of the above requirements, please call 603-846-6192 or email PeaseStudy@cdc.gov.

When the study is completed, the residents in communities near the Pease International Tradeport, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire will learn the extent of their exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, which they can share with their doctors to monitor their health. The Pease Study will expand our scientific understanding of PFAS by looking at the association between health outcomes and PFAS exposure from drinking water.

To check for eligibility to participate in the study, call 603-846-6192 or email PeaseStudy@cdc.gov.

For more information about The Pease Study, visit https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/Pease-Study.html.  For information about PFAS, please visit Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Your Health, call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636), or email www.cdc.gov/info.

Background:
The U.S. Air Force tested and identified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Pease International Tradeport drinking water wells in May 2014. Tests results showed the Haven Well had elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), a type of PFAS. The City of Portsmouth closed the well in May 2014. The scientific evidence linking PFAS exposures with adverse health effects is increasing. The Pease Study results will increase scientific understanding of the relationship between PFAS exposure and health outcomes.

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ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the potential for adverse human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.