9 Apr 2012: Lead NIH scientist for GuLF STUDY available for interviews

Nearly two years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, some workers have questions about their health as a result of participating in the cleanup. More than 18,000 cleanup workers and volunteers have enrolled in the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study (GuLF STUDY), a national effort to determine whether the oil spill contributed to physical or mental health problems. It is already the largest health study of its kind and is still seeking to enroll thousands of additional workers.

The study is conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What: Live Satellite Interviews from NIEHS (Research Triangle Park, NC)
When: Friday, April 20, 2012, 7-11 a.m. ET
Who: Dale Sandler, Ph.D., Lead Researcher for the GuLF Study, and chief of the NIEHS Epidemiology Branch
Contacts: To book an interview for Friday, April 20, 2012, contact:
- Lana Jung, 212-812-7132, lana.jung@synapticdigital.com
- Marissa Horowitz, 212-812-7071, marissa.horowitz@synapticdigital.com
- Nicole Blount, 212-812-7184, nicola.blount@synapticdigital.com

The GuLF STUDY was designed to generate important data that may help guide policy decisions on health care and services in the Gulf region. Findings may also influence responses to future oil spills.

While the study is reaching out to the 150,000 people who took part in cleanup work, locating these individuals has been challenging as many have moved to new residences or changed telephone numbers.

Available for interviews, Dr. Dale Sandler, the lead scientist for the GuLF STUDY can talk about the importance of this study, what we hope to learn, how individuals can get involved, and what the study entails.

People interested in participating in the study can call the toll-free number at 1-855-NIH-GULF (1-855-644-4853) or visit the website at http://www.nihgulfstudy.org/.

GuLF STUDY is a registered trademark, held by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

The NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov

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