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Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

pfas.report

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Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#121

Post by giantg2 »

upsidesinclude wrote: post #86
giantg2 wrote: post #80

"There's some research out of Australia indicating blood donation/phlebotomy is effective at removing it" Kind of a "no shit" answer, and not a real solution - you're just transferring it to someone else. Probably some moral conundrum in there about how you are worried enough to get rid of your PFAS but are giving it to someone else.

I guess you'd also be giving someone extended life though right, so I guess that's for them to decide

I mean, you can make that claim about almost anything. It's really a fallacy where anything looks good if the alternative (usually a false dichotomy) is death.

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#122

Post by mdrew »

xracy wrote: post #119
mdrew wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok, a few thoughts. Direct to consumer lab testing is offered in ~47 states in the country. It has been available for years with thousands of tests available. To date, there has been no apocalypse from empowering consumers to know about their own personal health. NMS is one of the preeminent toxicology labs in the country. This test is Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry which is known, quantifiable, extremely ac…

I don't think the previous commenter was saying "don't test people" but there are a few comments on here about how sketchy this website/company looks. So instead, the question is, if I pay $400 what meaning/value am I getting from this. And what can I get above and beyond the given 98% certainty I have that I've already ingested one of these chemicals?

I get it.

I think it's right there in the post itself. If you have certain occupations, live in certain zip codes, or have medical problems, a test like this can prove invaluable.

If you're just curious, your mileage may very.

I do push back on the idea that not knowing is somehow better. Or people cannot handle learning new information about themselves. It's an old idea from medicine I hope we can move past as it just entrenches the power dynamic between caregivers and patients.

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#123

Post by mdrew »

karmicthreat wrote: post #13

Why isn't this available in Michigan? We are PFAS central. Especially on the western side where I am.

As I understand it, aside from the local manufacturing, Michigan has one of the best testing programs in the country.

In other states, testing has been laggard. Which is maybe why some states have "low" levels.

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#124

Post by autoexec »

mdrew wrote: post #120
autoexec wrote: post #116

Quest Diagnostics is pretty sketchy. They've been busted for fraud, illegal kickbacks, inaccurate tests, privacy violations, etc. They sell every scrap of data they can get away with to third parties including marketers and it's a lot of data ( https://www.questdiagnostics.com/our-company/privacy/privacy... ) which includes: Professional/employment-related information, products or services purchased/obtained/consider…

The only information we use to generate your lab req in Quest is: name dob biological sex phone number

I imagine the bulk of your data is collected when you show up for the blood draw. You have a really nice site, but should defiantly try to find and work with a more ethical and trustworthy lab. On the plus side, when they sold your data they probably had a lot of nice things to say about your intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes!

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#125

Post by azinman2 »

w10-1 wrote: post #89

Here's the test on NMS: https://www.nmslabs.com/tests/3427SP NMS does not list consumers as their customers, and none of their customers make medical decisions based on their lab work. NMS claims CLIA certification. This is the older law where labs self-certify compliance. Congress left CLIA in place alongside FDA IVD regulations to protect small pharmacists, but obviously Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp run fleets thr…

But I cannot order this test myself from NMS, right?

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#126

Post by azinman2 »

ars wrote: post #70
ShakataGaNai wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the "what should I do?" was the big question. Even in your OP, you said you didn't know what to do about it. Neither does the website say much other than basically "lawyer". If there is something I can do to help me, then there is a purpose to the test. This chelation you mentioned. But again, this should be a "See a doctor first" situation. What are the risks of chelation? Is it safer for me to have PFAS than go…

So far as I know chelation is not effective for PFAS, chelation is for metals. PFAS will eventually (slowly) leave your body - focus on not getting anymore, not on removing it. I posted a comment with suggestions elsewhere in this thread.

Evidence so far is that plasma and blood donations can remove it slowly.

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#127

Post by azinman2 »

logifail wrote: post #59

> forever chemicals Sorry, but that phrase really annoys me.[0] What does it actually mean? [0] full disclosure: PhD in organic chemistry

As a layman, my understanding is that it doesn't break down over time. Is that not right?

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#128

Post by mdrew »

azinman2 wrote: post #125
w10-1 wrote: post #89

Here's the test on NMS: https://www.nmslabs.com/tests/3427SP NMS does not list consumers as their customers, and none of their customers make medical decisions based on their lab work. NMS claims CLIA certification. This is the older law where labs self-certify compliance. Congress left CLIA in place alongside FDA IVD regulations to protect small pharmacists, but obviously Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp run fleets thr…

But I cannot order this test myself from NMS, right?

NMS does not offer tests direct to consumers.

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#129

Post by azinman2 »

acumenical wrote: post #97

Maybe the heart was in the right place, but yet another test that consumers pay for is not really the solution to the PFAS problem. The solution is holding polluters accountable. Until that happens, the test is simply a luxury that allows you to put distance between you and this worldwide problem.

It isn't an exclusive or situation. I'd like to know my own levels to then figure out if I should start donating blood to reduce, as well as avoid things like takeout boxes or any other potential source of PFAS.

Re: Show HN: PFAS.report – Measure the forever chemicals in your blood via Quest

#130

Post by cmbuck »

mdrew wrote: post #14
cmbuck wrote: post #10

I've previously been advised by my doctor that PFAS tests are of limited utility due to the lack of process controls which could introduce contamination. Given how novel this area of testing is and the prevalence of PFAS in all types of materials, you can't know whether any detection of PFAS in your blood sample is due to presence in your body or presence in the lab + testing equipment. How does your solution through…

I would say it could be an issue, but is controlled for. The Quest Interface has a special cautionary statement for phlebotomists collecting samples for this test that says; "Note: Sample collection devices coated with PTFE/Teflon® and PVDF should be avoided because of potential specimen contamination." Edit: grammer

This guidance may help for sample collection, but wouldn't fully address the whole chain of custody. If the test equipment or handling tools/processes in the lab expose the samples to PFAS, then the test is botched. And this is challenging because PFAS are so prevalent and ubiquitous.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a test available for PFAS levels. However I've previously been denied a test from the medical provider due to the issues I've outlined above. So I think it would be helpful to know if/how they have addressed this problem.

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