Hi, my name is Hiroko Scott

I am very sensitive to fragrances as they make me very sick. When I am exposed to fragrance or fragranced products I develop a headache, become nauseous and sometimes just vomit or have concussion with anaphylactic reaction then vomit. A while ago when visiting a hospital emergency room for a medical treatment, I felt even sicker (or – I felt worse) immediately after entering the waiting room (I had to wait outside). I was feeling sicker (worse) because of some of the perfumes that the nurses wore personally and the cleaning products and toilet air fresheners that contain fragrances. On another occasion when I visited a medical centre, a doctor and receptionist were wearing strong perfume and I couldn’t enter the medical office. When I requested that the doctor stop wearing perfume, my request was denied.

Hospitals and Medical offices should accommodate all sickness and disabilities so that health care and support are there for all Australians.

Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (second edition) by Australian  Commission on Safety and quality in health care states below

• Access:Healthcare services and treatment that meets my needs
• Safety:Receive safe and high quality health care that meets national standards.     
•              Be cared for in an environment that makes me feel safe

These rights apply to all people in all places where health care is provided in Australia. This includes public and private hospitals, day procedure services, general practice and other community health services.

I therefore request the house to ban the use of perfumes, fragranced or scented air-fresheners, deodorant, cleaning products, diffusers, dispensers hand sanitisers and cosmetics in hospitals, and medical centres. I request to replace them with non-fragranced products. 

A 2016 study published in the Preventive medicine reports by Professor Anne Steinemann has found that:

“Fragranced consumer products—such as air fresheners, cleaning supplies, and personal care products— pervade society. This study investigated the occurrence and types of adverse effects associated with exposure to fragranced products in Australia, and opportunities for prevention. Data were collected in June 2016 using an on-line survey with a representative national sample (n = 1098). Overall, 33% of Australians report health problems, such as migraine headaches and asthma attacks, when exposed to fragranced products. Of these health effects, more than half (17.1%) could be considered disabling under the Australian Disability Discrimination Act. Additionally, 7.7% of Australians have lost workdays or a job due to illness from fragranced product exposure in the workplace, 16.4% reported health problems when exposed to air fresheners or deodorizers, 15.3% from being in a room after it was cleaned with scented products, and 16.7% would enter but then leave a business as quickly as possible due to fragranced products. About twice as many respondents would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, hotels, and airplanes were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. While 73.7% were not aware that fragranced products, even ones called green and organic, emitted hazardous air pollutants, 56.3% would not continue to use a product if they knew it did.”  

A 2019 Australian National Register of Environmental Sensitivities (ANRES) report shows that 74.1% of people with fragrance sensitivity have difficulty in obtaining Medical Assistance due to the use of personal fragranced products anduse of fragranced products in medical facilities. (Martin, 2019).

An editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, in 2OI5 states that, "Artificial scents have no place in our hospitals", about 30% of people report having some sensitivity to perfumes worn by others.  "We have much to learn about the mechanisms underlying scent sensitivity, but we know enough now to take precautionary measures in our hospitals." Their recommendation - "Hospital environments free from artificial scents should become a uniform policy, promoting the safety of patients, staff and visitors alike."  (Flegel and Martin, 2015). This precautionary measure should also be extended to other health facilities and aged care facilities. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Indoor Air Quality Policy (CDC, 2009) states that “Scented or fragranced products are prohibited at all times in all interior space owned or leased by CDC”. (CDC, 2009)

References

Steinemann A. (2016). Health and societal effects from exposure to fragranced consumer products. Preventive medicine reports, 5, 45–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.011

More studies on this issue on this link below

http://www.drsteinemann.com/publications.html

Flegel, K. and Martin, J. (2015). Artificial scents have no place in our hospitals. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 187(16), pp.1187-1187.

CDC, 2009. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Indoor Environmental Quality Policy, pages. :pp. 9–10 Available:. http://www.drsteinemann.com/Resources/CDC%20Indoor%20Environmental%20Quality%20Policy.pdf

Martin S. (2019). Available at: https://anres.org/2019-anres-data-update/