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Public Health Department Response to Mercury Poisoning: The Importance of Biomarkers and Risks and Benefits Analysis for Chelation Therapy

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Abstract

Chelation therapy is often used to treat mercury poisoning. Public health personnel are often asked about mercury toxicity and its treatment. This paper provides a public health department response to use of a mercury-containing cosmetic in Minnesota, a perspective on two unpublished cases of chelation treatment for postulated mercury toxicity, and comments on the use of a nonsystemic treatment for removal of mercury following the Iraqi seed coat poisoning incident. Physicians should evaluate sources of exposure, biomarkers, and risks and benefits before recommending chelation therapy for their patients. Potential risks to chelation therapy and its little understood subtle or latent effects are areas of public health concern.

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Acknowledgment

This publication was supported by the cooperative agreement award number 1U61TS000117-04 from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Its contents are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Conflict of Interest

For the work under consideration for publication, Dr. McKay received a consulting fee/honorarium and reimbursement for travel through the ACMT/ATSDR Cooperative Agreement. Relevant financial activities outside the submitted work included money paid by the state DPH and various private attorney’s firms to Dr. McKay and to Dr. McKay’s institution for consulting on cases involving chelation issues. Dr. McKay is on the Scientific Advisory Council for the Environmental Health Research Foundation, which addresses issues related to biomonitoring for environmental chemicals. Dr. Herbrandson received reimbursement for travel to the conference through the ACMT/ATSDR Cooperative Agreement.

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  1. Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hartford Hospital/University of Connecticut School of Medicine, American College of Medical Toxicology, 10645 N. Tatum Blvd. Suite 200-111, Phoenix, AZ, 85028, USA

    Charles A. McKay Jr.

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  1. Charles A. McKay Jr.
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Correspondence to Charles A. McKay Jr..

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McKay, C.A. Public Health Department Response to Mercury Poisoning: The Importance of Biomarkers and Risks and Benefits Analysis for Chelation Therapy. J. Med. Toxicol. 9, 308–312 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-013-0340-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-013-0340-9

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