In Pennsylvania, a new state law requires drilling companies to tell
doctors what chemicals they are pumping into the ground in order to
extract natural gas. Doctors need to identify the chemicals so they can
diagnose and treat patients who have been exposed.
But there is a catch. Because the companies deem the chemical
ingredients they are injecting into people’s backyards to be
“proprietary secrets,” the law imposes a gag on doctors, meaning they
are forbidden from telling anyone, including their own patients and
other health professionals, what chemicals are causing the sickness.
In recent months, similar laws have been passed in Colorado, Texas and Ohio.
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