Findings do not suggest that herbicides or metals were present at levels that could have contributed to illness experienced by most of the patients, official says.Evan Vucci/The Associated Press
A New Brunswick investigation found no environmental link to neurological symptoms reported by hundreds of patients of a single neurologist in the province, says a report released Friday by the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Yves Léger.
Dr. Yves Léger said the findings do not suggest that either herbicides or metals were present at levels that could have contributed to illness experienced by most patients. Earlier investigations found no evidence of a shared common illness.
“Regardless of the findings of our investigation, the fact remains there are patients who are very ill and need support,” said Dr. Léger in a statement.
The investigation, which included data from 222 patients, is the latest development in a years-long quest for answers about a variety of neurological symptoms experienced by patients of New Brunswick neurologist Alier Marrero.
Dr. Alier Marrero at his home on the outskirts of Moncton, N.B., in 2023.Chris Donovan/The Globe and Mail
The investigation conducted by the province was tasked with discovering whether there was any environmental connection to symptoms, after Dr. Marrero raised the alarm in 2023 about a growing number of patients with undiagnosed neurological illness who also had high levels of herbicides or metals in their bodies.
Dr. Léger said the next steps focus on implementing recommendations from the investigation, which include formalizing a requirement that two specialists must assess a patient before they are reported as a new case of having an unknown neurological illness.
The provincial government has asked the Public Health Agency of Canada to conduct a separate review of all the data collected as part of this investigation, in accordance with a request from patient representatives.