Multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS)/idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEI) - The Berlin workshop and its consequences in Germany

A meeting of experts and agency representatives on multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) in May 1995 in Berlin disclosed that the diagnosis MCS had been on the increase in Germany in the early 90's. It was stated that the patients suffered extremely and, therefore, a solution urgently needed to be found. However, it did not seem possible to handle the problem in an objective way as validated clinical criteria for the diagnosis of MCS were missing. Phenomena relating to MCS and the presumed causing agents or factors differed considerably between different countries. Hence, the need for an international workshop was declared. On behalf of German agencies, the International Programme of Chemical Safety (IPCS) organized a 3-day workshop on MCS in Berlin in February 1996. Experts from the USA and Canada as well as a number of European countries attended. The most important results of the workshop are cited in brief in this article. They relate to the criteria for diagnosis that were decided on, but still are in the state of a working definition, the recommendations for research strategies, and the suggestion that "the term MCS should be discontinued because it makes an unsupported judgement on causation (...). A more appropriate descriptor is idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEI). This term incorporates a number of disorders sharing similar symptomatologies, including what is described as MCS." Comparable to the situation in the USA, the discrepancies in beliefs and applied therapies lately have increasingly divided the medical community in Germany. In such a situation, patients are condemned to continue suffering, they do not receive adequate help. Therefore, a scientific approach with the goal to decide on widely accepted research strategies and intense communication within the scientific communitiy has been initiated. A number of papers on possible strategies have already been published and can serve as a basis for the discussion. The article ends with an urgent call to all readers to actively take part in this discussion.