Fracking is linked to asthma increase, study finds

Fracking—a controversial method of extracting gas from the ground—is associated with an increased risk of asthma exacerbation, a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine has found.1

The authors said that this was the first study to look at the links between fracking and asthma. To date, most health concerns have centred on groundwater contamination as a by-product of the procedure, which involves drilling 2000-3000 m down into the ground and then 600-3000 m across. A high pressure water mixture is …