My Goal: That science-based knowledge gives people what they need to know to stay healthy.
Connie Eash, M.S. background
Pharmaceutical Career
After graduating from Juniata College with a B.S. in Biology, I worked at William H Rorer, Inc in the Cardiovascular Pharmacology Lab, where I worked for 8 years. We tested new compounds on animals to find drugs that would lower blood pressure, stabilize the heart’s rhythm, and increase the strength of the heart. I was excited about my work and wanted to learn as much as possible about the body and how these drugs worked. My boss supported my interest and work, so I was given the opportunity to work full time with flexible hours, while pursuing my Masters’ Degree at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. While completing my M.S. in Pharmacology, a series of experiences made me question the validity and value of industry research. After consulting with PhD’s about their career choices, my own growing skepticism was confirmed. I decided not to continue in the PhD program. I moved to the E.R. Squibb and Sons cardiovascular lab in order to experience the climate of research in a larger company. After experiencing research there for a few years, I decided it was a time to change my career goals.
Focus Family
As I planned a move to a more compassionate career in physical therapy, I found myself pregnant with my son. With great joy, I began to put everything into being a wife and mother. We had a daughter and for years had an almost perfect life.
A Poisoning
Half way through first grade, my son began experiencing strange symptoms. At first, thinking it was the flu, we struggled with his constant headaches and other symptoms. His pediatrician had little to offer except a flu shot, which was not the answer. One day, his second grade teacher told me that she and half the class were getting similar symptoms. In fact, after struggling to get through that year with severe headaches at school, this young woman would have to leave on disability. One girl had two Grand Mal seizures during this same period. Other children were taken to their pediatricians, but none were tested for pesticide poisoning. Our pediatrician did the proper testing, and my son was diagnosed with organophosphate poisoning from the insecticide Dursban, which was sprayed at his school. This insecticide produces the same type of effects as Sarin nerve gas. After WWII, industry used weaker versions of Sarin to make insecticides. Dursban (chlorpyrifos) was one of these and the most widely used insecticide in the US at the time. Our story was on the news, and soon I was contacted by 200 people across the country who had suffered from Dursban poisoning. Most were disabled, since there are chronic health conditions which continue for years.
Activism
- Pennsylvania: Through investigations and the help of the PA Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, Grow Inc, and many others, we convinced several school districts to stop spraying and use safer methods of pest control, known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). For a short time, I worked for Clean Water Action on the pesticide issue, producing a study of IPM practices in Pennsylvania Schools. We also worked on legislation. In 2002, Pennsylvania passed laws to encourage Integrated Pest Management and to prevent indiscriminate spraying of pesticides in schools and giving rights to students and employees to have notice prior to any such spraying.
- Connecticut: From 1997-2000, we lived in Connecticut, where I performed a study for Environment and Human Health, Inc, Pest Control Practices in Connecticut Public Schools, which revealed that 32% of the schools sprayed routinely, regardless of need, one spraying twice/month and one district spraying three times/month. No records were maintained at schools, and the public did not have access to information about the pesticides or the use. EHHI released the report at a Press Conference at the State Capitol and educated the representatives so that in 1999, An Act Concerning Notice of Pesticide Applications at Schools and Day Care Centers was passed to regulate and reduce the children’s pesticide exposure. I also met a great group of friends and was on the board of ECHO, a non-profit that supported the needs of the chemically sensitive population. Chemical sensitivity is a common chronic result of organophosphate poisoning.
- National: The Food Quality Protection Act was signed into law by President Clinton in 1996. For the first time, it required children’s special sensitivities to be considered when licensing a pesticide. All previously licensed pesticides were suppose to be retested, and the first priority was Dursban. The public had a right to give input into the decision, so the public submitted over 2000 written testimonies requesting that it be taken off the market for all residential use. I testified personally before the FDA twice. In 2000-2001, it was removed for all residential use.
- Speaking: During the years in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, I gave talks, including at Yale Pediatric Grand Rounds, Philadelphia College of Osteopathy, and numerous mother’s groups and public outlets. Topics included pesticide poisoning and how to stay healthy by removing toxins from the home and the body.
Health
My son and others suffered chronic illness from their poisonings. Through research into the causes and possible treatments, I was able to help my son remove the residual toxins from the body. We also found other treatments that helped with the body’s reaction to multiple chemicals, one of the chronic effects of the poisonings. After encouragement from friends who regained their health from detoxification, I started the business, Detox at Home, LLC. Using scientifically-based methods, I continued to help detox people until our retirement.
Local Food
Since a major part of health includes eating fresh, pesticide-free food, I was drawn to the local Amish farmers, some of whom grew pesticide-free and GMO-free food. During the winter when the local growers’ market closed, I helped them sell their wonderful fresh food to a group of customers looking to eat healthier. Again, this continued until retirement.
Retirement
My husband and I began to travel, seeing much of the world in the last three years, until Covid-19 stopped most of the world from travel and most other pastimes.
Now
With the mixed messages and confusion about Covid-19 coming from the government, media, and supposed experts, I decided to go to primary sources to find out what is known by the science. Although many of the ‘talking heads’ claim that not much is known about this virus, I found that massive amounts of research have been done in recent months and is available to the public. Also, confining your information to what is happening in the U.S., the country with the worst track record thus far, is limiting access to some of the best information. I wanted to learn from the experience of and research coming from countries who are succeeding in reducing the number of cases, and more importantly, reducing the death rate among those who are infected. As I read the research about various factors influencing survival vs death, one nutrient kept reappearing with amazing statistics. That is vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. As others are promoting social distancing and masks as the answer, ‘until we find a vaccine’, it occurred to me that there are no Pharma reps promoting a nutrient as an answer. From my experience with the industry, I know that any competition with a lucrative, patented product will result in a plethora of studies biased against the non-profitable competition. The paid ‘experts’ and media will discourage anyone to use the less expensive, often safer products. My efforts now are focused to help the public learn the real information from actual science and the experience of first line doctors and nurses around the world.