Toxicity Tests of Humidifier Disinfectants Missing Some Products by KCDC

Sacheomwi Announces Investigation Results
Excluding Humidifier Mate Product

Choi Ye-yong, Vice Chairman of the Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters, is speaking at the announcement and press conference on the adequacy investigation results of the 2011 toxicological experiments of humidifier disinfectants (CMIT/MIT) held at Post Tower, Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 1st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (formerly the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hereinafter KDCA) was found to have omitted some products in the 2011 humidifier disinfectant risk test.

The Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters (SICSD) announced on the 1st through its investigation results that "an investigation into the appropriateness of KDCA's 'animal toxicity test' conducted in 2011 confirmed that the humidifier mate product was excluded in the preliminary airway administration test by KDCA in 2011." The SICSD has been investigating the appropriateness of the toxicity test for the 'Humidifier Mate (main components CMIT/MIT, toxic chemicals, manufactured by SK Chemicals, sold by Aekyung Industrial)' product conducted by KDCA.

KDCA began an epidemiological investigation in April 2011 when the humidifier disinfectant issue became a social problem. They conducted an 'inhalation toxicity test,' which exposed test animals to air containing humidifier disinfectants to inhale, but the Humidifier Mate product was excluded at this stage. After the toxicity test, in February 2012, KDCA announced that "no pulmonary fibrosis findings were detected in the CMIT/MIT main component product (Humidifier Mate), and only products with PHMG and PGH as main components (such as Oxy Ssak Ssak) were finally confirmed to have a causal relationship with lung damage."

However, Humidifier Mate was proven to cause pulmonary fibrosis in a study announced last year by the Ministry of Environment titled 'Research to clarify the correlation between humidifier disinfectant components and the induction and exacerbation of respiratory diseases.' KDCA had previously explained that the reason Humidifier Mate was excluded from the preliminary test in 2011 was due to a delay in confirming the product components. However, after investigating documents prepared by KDCA, the SICSD concluded that KDCA had identified the components of Humidifier Mate immediately after the preliminary test.

The SICSD evaluated that "KDCA's exclusion of the Humidifier Mate product from the initial inhalation toxicity test caused great suffering to victims and significant social repercussions." Although the Humidifier Mate product was suspended from sale in 2011 along with products like Oxy Ssak Ssak, Wiselec, and Sepyu, the conclusion from the toxicity test that there was no problem made it difficult for victims to have their health damages recognized. The prosecution's investigation into SK Chemicals, Aekyung, and E-Mart, who manufactured and sold Humidifier Mate, only began last year after the Ministry of Environment verified its harmfulness, and the first trial is currently underway at the Seoul Central District Court.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.