RESILIENCE: An International Conference on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
Day 1
VIDEOS & SUMMARIES
ASL AVAILABLE
Date: May 7, 2026
INTRODUCTION:
Rohini Peris, President & CEO, the Environmental Health Association of Canada and the Environmental Health Association of Québec
Michel Gaudet, Executive Director of the Environmental Health Association of Canada and the Environmental Health Association of Québec
Robert Lattanzio, LLB, Lawyer & Executive Director, ARCH Disability Law Center
Sheridan Baker, PhD, publishing specialist with the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), MDPI
Riina Bray, BASc, MSc, MD, FCFP, MHSc, Medical Director, Environmental Health Clinic, Women’s College Hospital
Leslie Church, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour, for Seniors, and for Children and Youth, and to the Minister of Jobs and Families (Persons with Disabilities)
Video
Opening Remarks, Canadian Human Rights Commission
Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission
A lawyer specializing in human rights, administrative, and constitutional law speaks on advancing equity and justice in Canada.
Video Summary
Chemicals Risk Assessment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP)
Nazem El Husseini, PhD, Scientific Evaluator, Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau (ESRAB), Health Canada
Dr. El Husseini presents the general process of chemicals risk assessment within the framework of CEPA and the CMP, recent legislative changes, and examples of chemicals assessed for respiratory sensitivity.
Video Summary
The Mechanisms of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation
John Molot, MD, former physician from the Environmental Health Clinic at Women’s College Hospital and adjunct professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Ottawa
Links everyday low-level chemical exposures to biological mechanisms such as sensory receptor sensitization, oxidative stress, and nervous system dysregulation, using established causation frameworks.
Video Summary
TRPV1 Modulation and Genetic Variability in Cough Sensitivity and Autonomic Regulation
Filippo Liviero, MD, PhD, Occupational Medicine Specialist and Researcher at the University of Padua, Italy
Explores the role of TRPV1 receptor modulation and genetic variability in MCS, with implications for respiratory and autonomic responses.
Video Summary
Genetic Susceptibility and Vitamin D Status in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): Stratified Genome-wide Analyses Beyond Classical Alcohol-Metabolizing Variants
Kentaro Watai, MD, PhD, Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Kindai University, Japan
Genome-wide and clinical investigations identify distinct genetic susceptibility signals tied to alcohol intolerance and a high, non-specific prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.
Video Summary
The Patient with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) in the Dentist’s Office
Paolo Genangeli, DDS, Dentist specializing in homeopathy, homotoxicology, and naturopathy
Individualized dental care for patients with MCS, including selection and compatibility testing of dental materials to minimize adverse reactions.
Video Summary
Clinical Reality, Systemic Barriers, and Pathways Forward in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
Domenica Tambasco, MD, FCFP, CCFP, Physician at the Environmental Health Clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, Ontario and Assistant Professor (Clinical Adjunct) with the University of Toronto
Prevalence of chemical intolerance in Canada, the functional impairments that drive social and economic isolation, and policy solutions to close healthcare, employment, and housing gaps.
Video Summary
Interventions to Prevent, Manage, and Treat Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): Results of a Scoping Review of the Literature
Susanne Hempel, PhD, Professor in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC) and Director of the Southern California Evidence Review Center
A scoping review of interventions for MCS finds a diverse but limited evidence base, with few high-quality studies and clear gaps for future research.
Video Summary
Genetic Susceptibility to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Building a Canadian Cohort and Collaborative Meta-Analysis
Audrey Grant, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department of Anesthesia, and expert in Genetic Epidemiology at McGill University
A review of possible genetic underpinnings of MCS, and plans to recruit a Canadian cohort of biological samples for an international meta-analysis with ASEQ-EHAQ.
Video Summary
Population Trends and Environmental Drivers of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): Insights from Prevalence and Indoor Air Quality Research
Rohini Peris, President & CEO, Environmental Health Association of Canada, and the Environmental Health Association of Québec
The growing prevalence of MCS in Canada from 2000-2020, and indoor air quality findings showing how fragrance-free environments reduce harmful exposures.
Video Summary
Nursing Care With Those Who Have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
Claudia M. Smith, PhD, MPH, BSN, RN, Community and Public Health Nurse, Educator and Consultant
How nurses can build safer, more accessible healthcare environments through interpersonal care and environmental modification, while protecting themselves from sensitization.
Video Summary
Closing Keynote
Evidence to Action: Reframing Chemical Exposure as an Accessibility and Human Rights Imperative
Paul-Claude Bérubé, LLB, Executive Director, COPHAN, Former president of Accessibility Standards Canada
Synthesizes Day 1’s scientific, clinical, and policy threads to frame everyday chemical exposure as a defining accessibility and public health issue.
Video Summary
Recognition Ceremony & Closing Reflections
Paul-Claude Bérubé, LLB, Executive Director, COPHAN
Riina Bray, BASc, MSc, MD, FCFP, MHSc, Medical Director, Environmental Health Clinic, Women’s College Hospital
Robert Lattanzio, LLB, Lawyer & Executive Director, ARCH Disability Law Center
Michel Gaudet, Executive Director, Environmental Health Association of Canada and the Environmental Health Association of Québec
Rohini Peris, President & CEO, Environmental Health Association of Canada and the Environmental Health Association of Québec
Honouring Paul-Claude Bérubé and Dr. Riina Bray for their contributions to the MCS community, followed by reflections on Day 1 and an invitation to Day 2.
Video Summary