More than a year after finding high levels of PFAS, or so-called “forever chemicals,” in the blood of many northwest Georgians, Emory University researchers have launched a new study to test if anything can be done to treat the problem.
Researchers from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health on Tuesday announced the launch of a clinical trial in the towns of Rome and Calhoun, where decades of use of stain-resistant chemicals by the region’s multi-billion carpet industry has contributed to a contamination crisis.
This toxic legacy was highlighted in an investigation earlier this year by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Associated Press and FRONTLINE (PBS) that explored the cost of using these chemicals in a region that touts its identity as the “Carpet Capital of the World.”
A blood survey conducted by Emory in 2025 found high levels of the type of PFAS once used by the carpet industry in the blood of many of northwest Georgia’s residents. The EPA has linked some PFAS to cancers, birth defects and thyroid issues.
The new trial will look at whether certain cholesterol-reducing medication can effectively remove PFAS from the body, building off of some small-scale studies that showed promise. Emory did not name the medication. Today there are few, if any, proven ways to reduce PFAS levels, said Emory environmental professor Dana Barr.
Barr, who appeared in the FRONTLINE documentary, said the trial will look to address a common refrain from blood study participants: What can we do about the PFAS in my blood?
“Before, the only thing you could do is reduce the source of exposure,” Barr said. “But that still didn’t, and doesn’t, address what they’ve already been exposed to.”
And, for some, reducing exposure isn’t possible. More than a year after she found out her PFAS levels are magnitudes greater than the U.S. average, Calhoun resident Dolly Baker said she’s no closer to knowing why.
“I thought I was doing all the right things with how I chose my food and water and all that -- and then you find out your levels are high,” Baker said.
She said the trial announcement is the first time she’s felt hopeful about a solution since learning about her blood levels, adding that she would like to participate in the drug study if her doctor approves.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
The five-year clinical trial is supported by a $6.57 million grant awarded this month to Emory University researchers by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The study is open to adults 18 and older who have lived in Gordon or Floyd counties for at least five years and are in generally good health, without a recent hospitalization and without certain medical conditions, such as advanced kidney disease or specific gastrointestinal conditions. Barr said she hopes to enroll around 300 people.
Individuals interested in enrolling in the clinical trial are encouraged to fill out this form or email ngapfas@emory.edu.
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