Several possible studies
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High levels of 'forever chemicals' found in Lancashire residents' blood in ten-year study of exposed communities (opens in a new tab)
medicalxpress.com · 2026-09-28
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Several possible studiesNo clear answer.
More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.
Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.
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High levels of 'forever chemicals' found in Lancashire residents' blood in ten-year study of exposed communities
medicalxpress.com · 2026-09-28
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Several studies could be the source of this story.
More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.
Open claim evidenceSearch result
Several studies could fit.
More than one paper fits the article's details, and none fits well enough to single out. Checking claims against the wrong study would be worse than not checking them at all.
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The paper behind the story
The source record for this check.
The research anchor for the report.
- Cited as backgroundpresented as earlier work
Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances in food
EFSA Journal · 2020
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Claim 1 of 5Not checkedResidents living near a chemical plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, had blood tests showing many had high levels of PFAS, or 'forever chemicals'.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedhigh levels
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NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 2 of 5Not checkedThe article says the Thornton-Cleveleys PFAS levels are higher than those usually found in the general population, but similar to levels seen in some other PFAS-exposed communities.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedhigher than those usually found in the general population; in the same range as some other PFAS-exposed communities
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 3 of 5Not checkedThe article says blood testing can show PFAS exposure and sometimes suggest the main source, but it cannot tell whether a particular person will become ill.View evidenceHide evidence
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 4 of 5Not checkedThe article states that well-studied PFAS have been linked in human studies to changes in blood fats, weaker vaccine responses in children, lower birth weight, and, for PFOA in particular, increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer.View evidenceHide evidence
Not checked
NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Claim 5 of 5Not checkedThe article says that in a small study of PFAS-exposed people in Ronneby, a type of cholesterol medication helped the body get rid of some PFAS faster, but the finding remains experimental and is not routinely recommended for the exposure levels reported in Thornton-Cleveleys.View evidenceHide evidence
As statedsome of these chemicals faster
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NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.
Method layer
No single source study was found.
NewsLink still surfaces nearby research so you can inspect the field instead of a single paper.
Nearby research
No exact source, but these papers are close.
Crossref, PubMed, Europe PMC · 16 candidate papers
Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances in food
EFSA Journal · 2020 · Crossref
Pregnancy blood pressure trajectories in relation to high PFAS exposure: A longitudinal study from the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort.
Environmental Research · 2026 · PubMed, Europe PMC
Estimating Historical Pfas Exposures in Ronneby, Sweden Using Biobanked Dried Blood Spots from Newborns
2025 · Crossref
Serum, urinary and fecal concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances after interventions with cholestyramine/colesevelam and probenecid - cross-over trials in Ronneby, Sweden.
Environment International · 2025 · PubMed, Europe PMC
Serum PFAS levels measured in the general population of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, in 2022–2023
Environmental Science and Pollution Research · 2026 · Crossref
And 11 more candidates considered.