An Overview of the Science and Guidance for Clinicians on PFAS – 2019

Print
Related Pages
a patient talking to a doctor

This web page is archived for historical purposes and no longer current. Visit https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/resources/pfas-information-for-clinicians.html for current information.

This document provides an overview of what is known about per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and identifies health effects associated with PFAS exposure. The following information will help clinicians respond to patient concerns about PFAS exposure. The document is divided into four sections: 

  1. PFAS basics,
  2. PFAS health studies,
  3. questions patients may ask clinicians about PFAS, and
  4. where to find additional PFAS resources and references.

Understanding potential health issues associated with PFAS exposure is an ongoing collaborative effort of federal, state, tribal, and local governments. 

A shorter, ‘at-a-glance’ version of this document can be found here [PDF – 368 KB].

Updates to the Overview of the Science and Guidance for Clinicians on PFAS

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) was contracted by CDC, ATSDR, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to produce a report that includes suggestions for updating ATSDR’s Overview of the Science and Guidance for Clinicians on PFAS.