Originally published September 6 2008
FDA Declares Bisphenol-A Plastics Chemical to be Safe, Relying on Industry-Funded Studies
by David Gutierrez, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Testifying before the Senate, FDA Associate Commissioner for Science Norris Alderson insisted that products made with bisphenol A (BPA) are safe, even though a number of studies have implicated it as a carcinogen and hormone mimic.
BPA is used to make a variety of consumer products, such as hard, translucent water and baby bottles or the linings of food cans. Animal studies have linked the chemical to neurological and behavioral defects in infants and children, as well as early puberty and increased risk of breast and prostate cancer. In April, the National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program ruled that there was cause for concern that exposure to BPA could cause health problems in humans.
Alderson admitted that the FDA has relied on two industry-funded studies to prove that BPA is safe, but said the agency is now reviewing the National Toxicology Program's findings.
Democratic senators blasted the agency for its failure to take action on BPA, particularly in infant products.
Sen. Charles Schumer of New York Democrat accused the FDA of "looking the other way."
"Parents always err on the side of caution when it comes to their kids' health. We think that the law should do the same," he said
"The FDA could hardly be doing less," agreed former presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.
Kerry and Schumer are among the senators who have introduced a bill to ban BPA from children's products and direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the chemical's human health effects. They have also criticized the FDA for failing to act on the plastic-softening chemicals known as phthalates, which are also believed to disrupt the hormonal system.
Following the findings of the National Toxicology Program and a ban on BPA-containing infant bottles in Canada, major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Toys R Us have begun pulling products made with BPA from their shelves in the United States as well.
Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com.
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