United States: A recent surge in polymer fume fever cases, also known as “Teflon flu,” highlights concerns over non-stick pans. In 2023, over 265 suspected cases were reported, the highest number since 2000, according to America’s Poison Centers.
As information gathered by Yahoo news, the Centers, which track poison reports from 55 centers nationwide and have already seen over 3,600 suspected cases in the past 20 years. While some cases are from occupational exposure, the record number emphasizes the need for safe use of non-stick pans at home.
Health Risks and Symptoms
This particular conditions is caused by the overheating of pans coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sold under the same Teflon which releases the fumes into the air and breathing in those fumes can flu like symptoms.

Symptoms of the polymer fume fever include the chest tightness coughing, difficulty breathing and headaches.
FDA says that food packaging made with PFAS which are also called the forever chemical are no longer being sold in the U.S.
And these symptoms tend to go away within two to three days but the long-term effects of the conditions remain unknown according the ABC news contributor Dr. Darien Sutton, an emergency medicine physician.
Concerns Over PFAS Chemicals
Though we don’t know really the long term effects but we do know that these chemicals these PFAS are associated with the health conditions like thyroid abnormalities and certain cancers like kidney cancer as well as certain issues with infertility.
So these PFAS are manufactured in the chemicals that has been used in the products like making of cookware, cosmetics and water-repellent clothing for the decades buy it has been linked to the cause the adverse health effects in some of the provided instances according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.