How Does an EMU Work? The EMU is a pristine, environmentally‐controlled hospital or medical unit in which patients can be housed long enough, about 4 to 7 days, to achieve a clean baseline, free of environmentally‐ triggered symptoms. EMU facilitates double-blind, placebo‐controlled challenges with even very low levels of exposures. It will allow researchers to observe patients’ symptoms prior to entry into the EMU after unmasking, and before and after specific challenges, while at the same time employing objective measures such as proteomics, pulmonary function testing, and brain imaging. An EMU must be constructed, furnished, and operated so as to minimize exposure to airborne chemicals. It must be made from non-outgassing materials. No disinfectants, fragrances, or pesticides would be allowed. Ventilation should maximize fresh air and provide optimal filtration for particles (HEPA filters) and gases (charcoal filters). Pure water and organic foods for a rotary elimination diet would be used and, in some cases, fasting may be necessary for achieving a clean baseline. Enter EMU
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What happens in the EMU? In the figure above we see sine waves which represent the overlapping, waxing and waning of symptoms that occur in a chemically intolerant individual who is responding to multiple exposures. When all exposures are eliminated concurrently in the EMU, environmentally‐induced symptoms will resolve, generally within 4 to 7 days. During this period, withdrawal symptoms typically occur (e.g., headaches, fatigue, joint pain) but once a clean baseline is reached, patients often report their symptoms improved or completely removed. Once the individual has reached a clean baseline, researchers can perform challenges with single exposures one‐at‐a‐time and observe responses in the absence of background noise. 7