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What is the Michigan PFAS Exposure and Health Study (MiPEHS)?

Michigan PFAS Exposure & Health Study (MiPEHS) icon
MiPEHS Parchment Study Office Street View
MiPEHS Rockford Office Door
 
MiPEHS (pronounced: my pez) is the Michigan PFAS Exposure and Health Study, conducted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in the City of Parchment, Cooper Township, and the Belmont/Rockford area.

MiPEHS is a long-term study. People who participate will be asked to visit our local study offices a total of three times to give a blood sample. Study office visits will occur every other year. People will also be asked to complete an individual and a household survey at each visit to help us learn about their health and the many ways they may have been exposed to PFAS.

If the same people take part in each of the three study office visits, MDHHS will be able to better understand PFAS blood levels and health outcomes.

This study is completely voluntary. All participants will receive the results of their blood tests, if they want them, including PFAS levels and health tests. As information is collected and analyzed, MDHHS will share what we learn about PFAS and health outcomes with the public. We are committed to protecting your personal information; all personal information provided is confidential and will be kept private.

Why Should I Participate in MiPEHS?

The purpose of MiPEHS is to better understand the relationship between PFAS exposure and human health.

Document Icon     By participating in MiPEHS, you may:

  • Learn what your PFAS blood levels are after each study office visit
  • Contribute to scientific knowledge about PFAS and potential health effects
  • Contribute to the understanding of your community's exposure to PFAS through drinking water

Idea Icon    The data collected may help:

  • Doctors understand what health problems to watch for in people who have been drinking elevated levels of PFAS in their drinking water
  • Scientists learn more about how PFAS exposures may affect the health of the population 
  • Foster a healthier Michigan for future generations