WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A chemical in some plastic food and drink packaging including baby bottles may be tied to early puberty and prostate and breast cancer, the U.S. government said on Tuesday.
Based on draft findings by the National Toxicology Program, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, senior congressional Democrats asked the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its view that the chemical bisphenol A is safe in products for use by infants and children.
The chemical, also called BPA, is used in many baby bottles and the plastic lining of cans of infant formula.
The National Toxicology Program went further than previous U.S. government statements on possible health risks from BPA.
It said: "There is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children at current human exposures." The findings expressed concern about exposure in these populations, "based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females."
Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat and chairman of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, said the draft cast doubt on the FDA's position that BPA was safe.
"I hope the FDA is willing to reconsider their position on BPA for the safety of our infants and children," he said.
The National Toxicology Program said laboratory rodents exposed to BPA levels similar to human exposures developed precancerous lesions in the prostate and mammary glands, among other things.
"The possibility that bisphenol A may impact human development cannot be dismissed. More research is needed," the agency said.
Bisphenol A is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins and can be found in food and drink packaging as well as compact discs and some medical devices. Some dental sealants or composites contain it as well.
The National Toxicology Program expressed "negligible concern" that exposure of pregnant women to BPA causes fetal or neonatal death, birth defects or reduced birth weight and growth in babies. It also had "negligible concern" that exposure causes reproductive problems in adults.
The American Chemistry Council industry group said the conclusions confirmed that human exposure to bisphenol A is extremely low and noted no direct evidence that exposure adversely affects reproduction or development in humans.
In Canada, the Globe and Mail newspaper said the Canadian health ministry was ready to declare BPA a dangerous substance, making it the first regulatory body in the world to reach such a determination. The newspaper said the ministry could announce the decision as soon as Wednesday.
Environmental activists long have warned about health concerns regarding the chemical. They praised the draft findings of the National Toxicology Program, which cited more potential worries about the chemical than did a panel of experts that advised the program last year.
"NTP's decision corrects the scientific record. It reflects a significant body of science showing that BPA may play a larger role than previously thought in a host of common health problems," Anila Jacob of the Environmental Working Group said in a statement.
The study reviewed here was done in animals, not in people. The results suggest that bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in many household products made of plastic, may increase the risk of prostate and breast cancer. BPA also may contribute to boys and girls going through puberty at an earlier than normal age. Hormones play a role in these health issues, which suggests that BPA may affect hormone levels or change how hormones affect hormone-sensitive tissue such as prostate and breast tissue.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other health and chemical experts believe that BPA is safe and can be used in plastic products used by people. This study was done using laboratory mice. The mice had abnormal breast and prostate tissue growth after being exposed to BPA.
Because people aren't mice, some doctors and scientists feel that concluding BPA is dangerous to people because of this mouse study isn't valid. Still, animal research often gives us important clues as to how chemicals in the environment affect human health. Many scientists and lawmakers are now calling for either restrictions on or complete banning of plastics made with BPA.
Quite a few chemicals that have negative effects on people do so over a lifetime of exposure, beginning in early childhood (or even as a fetus before birth). This could be the case with BPA. The real concern about BPA is infant and childhood exposure. Exposure in infancy and early childhood, when organs are still forming and growing, may set the stage for cancer or other health problems later in life.
It's hard to avoid BPA. The chemical is found in polycarbonate (PC) plastic bottles. Many baby bottles, water bottles, and tin can plastic linings are made with PC plastic. PC plastic is one of many different types of plastic. Many products are marked with a number inside a small triangle to indicate the type of plastic used to make that container. This symbol is usually on the bottom of the container. PC plastics that contain BPA usually have a 7 inside the triangle.
Some companies are starting to make plastic products without BPA. If you're concerned and would like to avoid BPA, visit a company's Web site and search for any information they have about BPA. For example, Nalgene, a company that makes many types of refillable water bottles, has pledged that it will get rid of BPA in all of its products.
For more information on BPA and how to reduce any exposure you may have, you might want to visit the Environmental Working Group Web page on BPA.
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