The Medical Freedom Channel

“An autoimmune disease is a condition in which our immune system betrays our body and begins to attack our own tissues. Millions of Americans are afflicted with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma. Since previous studies have suggested that autoimmune disease might arise from exposure to viruses, environmental hazards, and industrial chemicals — all of which might be encountered on the job — Anneclaire De Roos and colleagues at the University of Washington systematically examined the relationship between people who died from autoimmune disease and their occupation. After surveying death certificates of people who died from autoimmune disease from more than 26 states, researchers found that farmers who worked with crops and people with certain industrial jobs had approximately 1 1/2 times increased chance of death from autoimmune disease.” (10/01/07)