Natural Gas Industry hamstrings Doctors in Pennsylvania

[grntuscarora]

34. There is a recent study called "Impacts of Gas Drilling on Animal and Human Health"

by Michelle Bamberger and Robert E. Oswald. It is largely about effects on livestock and pets but it does document some effects on humans, on pages 62 and 63. And yes, one child was hospitalized, although her arsenic poisoning was not conclusively linked to the drilling. It's an interesting report. I imagine many more reports and studies will be done in the future.

http://baywood.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,1,1;journal,1,56;linkingpublicationresults,1:300327,1


One part of the study was particularly pertinent to this conversation:

"Nondisclosure Agreements
Nondisclosure agreements between injured parties and corporations make it
difficult to document incidents of contamination. Compensation in the form of
cash, payment for all settlement expenses, an offer to buy the property and/or
payment for medical expenses in exchange for a nondisclosure agreement
prevents information on contamination episodes and health effects from being
documented and analyzed. Nondisclosure agreements are common in all areas of
business and are often essential to protect intellectual property. However, when
documentation of health problems associated with gas operations is shielded
from public scrutiny by a nondisclosure agreement, this is clearly a misuse of
this important business tool and should be prohibited."