Overview

Formaldehyde is found in many building materials, such as composite wood products and many everyday paper and household products. As a byproduct of combustion, it is also found in small amounts in emissions from fuel-burning appliances such as gas stoves. It can be toxic to humans at certain exposure levels when inhaled. According to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association, a trade group, formaldehyde is critically important across the economy. It directly impacts the employment of about 600,000 U.S. workers, and indirectly impacts an additional 3 million U.S. jobs.

The Center’s Focus

The Center for Truth in Science seeks to determine from available high-quality studies if there is conclusive, consistent evidence that inhaled formaldehyde exposure causes leukemia, including myeloid leukemia and other LHP cancers. The Center has awarded a research grant to support a systematic review of current scientific literature to better understand this issue.

Formaldehyde research grant recipient

The Center for Truth in Science has selected ToxStrategies LLC to receive a research grant to complete a state-of-the-art systematic review of the literature that explores any relationship between myeloid leukemia and other lymphohematopoietic (LHP) cancers in individuals exposed to inhaled formaldehyde.

As part of this project, the authors have registered their research protocols with the Center for Open Science. This is intended to make public, in advance of the research, the methods the researchers will use to conduct the systematic review in order to establish confidence in its analysis and findings. Read the full grant announcement here.