News Release

CHAPEL HILL – The following is a clarification to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill release number 556 ("Study shows increased suicide rate with possible link to nearby industry chemicals in second N.C. community"):

"As stated in our presentation to the U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress November 7, we do not yet know the reason for the prolonged spike in the Haywood County suicide rates," said Dr. Richard H. Weisler, adjunct professor of psychiatry at UNC’s School of Medicine and adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center.

"Until additional studies demonstrate an association between hydrogen sulfide and other neurotoxic and environmental chemical exposures and suicides, the precautionary approach dictates that potentially hazardous environmental chemical exposures be studied and environmentally controlled if needed.

"There is clearly no cause for panic based on these observations."

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UNC School of Medicine contact: Les Lang, (919) 843-9687 or llang@med.unc.edu