The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast

The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast

Thank you for listening to The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast! Amplifying research, lived experience, and critical conversations about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Through thoughtful and engaging conversations, the podcast aims to deepen understanding of MCS and inform public responses to the illness. Hosted by journalist and communication studies researcher Aaron Goodman, Ph.D. Generously supported by The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation. Subscribe for episode takeaways, research insights, and updates on MCS: https://bit.ly/42N3Geh DISCLAIMER: THIS PROJECT DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICEThe information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material from this project are for informational purposes only. None of the material is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard or read from this project.

  1. Can Public Spaces be Safe for MCS? Aimi Hamraie, PhD

    MAY 18

    Can Public Spaces be Safe for MCS? Aimi Hamraie, PhD

    Can public spaces ever truly be safe for people living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)? In this episode of The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, Aaron Goodman speaks with Aimi Hamraie, Associate Professor at York University whose work focuses on disability justice, accessibility, and inclusive design. They explore: • Why MCS is often overlooked in accessibility conversations  • Remote access as a vital form of inclusion  • How chemicals and fragrances can make public spaces inaccessible  • Why some people with MCS leave cities  • What truly MCS-inclusive public spaces could look like 🎧 Listen now:  https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/episodes/19185636-can-public-spaces-be-safe-for-mcs-aimi-hamraie-phd ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/thzV3GgBsHw Subscribe for episode takeaways, research insights, and updates on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): https://bit.ly/42N3Geh Links: Aimi HamraieRemote Access Archive – Critical Design LabFragrance-free resources compiled by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-SamarasinhaSick Building Syndrome and the Problem of Uncertainty by Michelle Murphy  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    49 min
  2. From Dismissal to Support — Rethinking Care for MCS: Téa Christopoulos, PhD Candidate

    MAY 4

    From Dismissal to Support — Rethinking Care for MCS: Téa Christopoulos, PhD Candidate

    This episode is great to share with your doctor or healthcare provider.  We explore how medical visits could become more supportive for people living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). We focus on listening, trust, and the responsibility clinicians have to support people with chronic illness. And how small changes can lead to more respectful, effective care. Aaron Goodman speaks with Téa Christopoulos, PhD candidate and sessional instructor at the University of Toronto, working across the Faculty of Kinesiology and the Joint Centre for Bioethics. Her research explores narrative medicine and Chronic Invisible Disabilities, examining how lived experience can reshape care to be more ethical, responsive, and truly patient-centered. 🎧 Listen:  https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/episodes/19104690-from-dismissal-to-support-rethinking-care-for-mcs-tea-christopoulos-phd-candidate ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/m1txBxi03Bc Subscribe for episode takeaways, research insights, and updates on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): https://bit.ly/42N3Geh 2025 paper by Téa Christopoulos: An Ethics of Care, Relational Suffering, and Contested Invisible Disability DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    31 min
  3. MCS—When Lived Experience Becomes Knowledge in Medicine: Megan Moodie, PhD

    APR 20

    MCS—When Lived Experience Becomes Knowledge in Medicine: Megan Moodie, PhD

    What happens when people's lived experience with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is dismissed in medicine? And how can it become a vital form of knowledge? In this episode, Aaron Goodman speaks with Megan Moodie, a medical anthropologist and disability studies scholar at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her work explores patient activism and how knowledge is produced in medicine. Megan also brings lived experience to this conversation, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and chemical sensitivities. You'll hear Aaron and Megan discuss:  Why people with MCS are often dismissed or psychologized in clinical settings. How lived experience becomes meaningful knowledge in medicine.  What more equitable collaboration between researchers and affected communities could look like.And more!🎧 Listen now: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/episodes/19037045-mcs-when-lived-experience-becomes-knowledge-in-medicine-megan-moodie-phd Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k4aNnImGMd4 The podcast has a new webpage! http://listen.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/ Please share with anyone interested in learning more about MCS.   DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    52 min
  4. MCS & Long COVID - Shared Struggles, Stigma, & Endurance: Deborah Lupton, PhD

    APR 6

    MCS & Long COVID - Shared Struggles, Stigma, & Endurance: Deborah Lupton, PhD

    Long COVID has pushed millions into a reality people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) have faced for decades: severe symptoms, disbelief, and no clear diagnosis. This episode of The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast explores what these conditions share: Medical dismissal. Stigma and social isolation. And epistemic injustice—when patients’ knowledge of their own bodies is questioned or ignored. Aaron Goodman speaks with Professor Deborah Lupton, a leading sociologist of health and medicine at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and editor of the recent book, Long COVID and Society: International Perspectives. It's always great to hear from people who listen and watch the podcast! Please share your experiences with MCS, Long COVID, or about anything you hear on the podcast. Listen now: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/episodes/18945867-mcs-long-covid-shared-struggles-stigma-endurance-deborah-lupton-phd Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pN6UGkaddis The podcast has a new webpage! http://listen.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/ Please share with anyone interested in learning more about MCS.   DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    43 min
  5. Brain Fog & MCS: Ronessa Dass and Tara Packham, PhD

    MAR 23

    Brain Fog & MCS: Ronessa Dass and Tara Packham, PhD

    Brain fog is something many people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) experience. In this episode, we explore what brain fog is, how it affects thinking, memory, and what research reveals about its links to distress and quality of life. Aaron Goodman's guests are researchers Tara Packham, PhD, and PhD candidate Ronessa Dass from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It's always great to hear from listeners! Please share your experiences with brain fog and MCS or about anything you hear on the podcast. Listen now: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/episodes/18821290-brain-fog-mcs-ronessa-dass-and-tara-packham-phd Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j4PulfsHX_U The podcast has a new webpage! http://listen.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/ Please share with anyone interested in learning more about MCS.   Links: Ronessa Dass - email: dassr5@mcmaster.ca Pain and Movement Research in the IMPRinT Lab, McMaster University: https://painmovementresearch.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/people-2/ Understanding the Experience and Impacts of Brain Fog in Chronic Pain: A Scoping Review - Ronessa Dass, Tara Packham, et al. (2023): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37441085/ DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    35 min
  6. Antibiotic Injury & MCS: Dr. Stefan Pieper

    MAR 9

    Antibiotic Injury & MCS: Dr. Stefan Pieper

    Listener advisory: This episode includes discussion of suicide. Many people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) trace the start of their illness to exposures like pesticides, fragrances, mold, smoke, or chemical fumes. Others say their symptoms began after taking prescription medications, especially antibiotics. In this episode, Dr. Stefan Pieper, a functional medicine physician in Germany who specializes in mitochondrial medicine, discusses Fluoroquinolone-Associated Disability (FQAD). People with the condition develop long-lasting neurological, cognitive, and physical symptoms after taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Some also develop chemical intolerance that closely resembles MCS. Could medications trigger long-term chemical sensitivity? And what might this reveal about MCS? Listen now: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/episodes/18803337-antibiotic-injury-mcs-dr-stefan-pieper Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Mjn-ggsZA&t=1s The podcast has a new webpage! http://listen.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/ Please share with anyone interested in learning more about MCS.   Link: Stefan Pieper — Fluoroquinolone-Associated Disability (FQAD): Side-effects of Fluoroquinolones Springer Nature, 2026 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-72123-0 DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    37 min
  7. Is Japan Facing an MCS Crisis? Yasuko Kato & Sekyoung Jung

    FEB 23

    Is Japan Facing an MCS Crisis? Yasuko Kato & Sekyoung Jung

    In Japan, many people report developing Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) following exposure to fragrance in personal care and household products—and increasingly, in laundry projects, especially fabric softeners.  Some are forced to leave their jobs. Others can no longer attend school. Many struggle to access medical care or even safe housing. Yet despite the profound disruption to people’s lives, MCS remains poorly understood and often invisible. Is Japan facing a Multiple Chemical Sensitivity crisis? Today’s guests, journalist and MCS advocate Yasuko Kato and sociology scholar Seykyoung Jung, bring firsthand insight into this urgent question. Thank you for listening! New episodes twice a month. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Check out the podcast's new website to listen and learn more: http://listen.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Grqs9wS0mMs?si=xhaGuTCFpQDd_NNb Get in touch: aaron@chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    50 min
  8. Living Losses — Young Adults & MCS: Abby Steeves, PhD

    FEB 9

    Living Losses — Young Adults & MCS: Abby Steeves, PhD

    Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is often seen as a condition that mostly affects older people. However, recent studies indicate young adults may be especially affected by MCS. Research suggests young adults have the highest prevalence, may be more likely than other age groups to develop the condition, and seem particularly vulnerable to the mental-health impacts of living with chemical intolerance and the social isolation it can bring. This episode's guest, Abby Steeves, recently completed her PhD focused on MCS and its impacts on young adults. As a former gymnast, she struggled to train and compete while living with the condition. These experiences led her to explore how MCS is challenging—and shaping—the lives of many other young people. Listen and subscribe: http://listen.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9r95nuwOKfc Abby’s dissertation: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8845&context=doctoral #MCS #multiplechemicalsensitivitypodcast #multiplechemicalsensitivity #ChemicalIntolerance #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #Youth DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE   The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the show Thank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation generously supporting the podcast! If you find the podcast helpful, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time supporter: https://www.chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org/1970633/supporters/new https://buymeacoffee.com/mcspodcast   Follow the podcast on YouTube!  Captions available in any language.  Please follow the podcast on social media: Facebook Instagram X BlueSky TikTok

    47 min
5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Thank you for listening to The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast! Amplifying research, lived experience, and critical conversations about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Through thoughtful and engaging conversations, the podcast aims to deepen understanding of MCS and inform public responses to the illness. Hosted by journalist and communication studies researcher Aaron Goodman, Ph.D. Generously supported by The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation. Subscribe for episode takeaways, research insights, and updates on MCS: https://bit.ly/42N3Geh DISCLAIMER: THIS PROJECT DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICEThe information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material from this project are for informational purposes only. None of the material is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard or read from this project.

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