FALLS CHURCH, Va., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scientists,
physicians, and children's health advocates expressed outrage with the Food
and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement that bisphenol A - the hormone
disrupting chemical found in numerous consumer products including can linings
and baby bottles - is "safe." In laboratory studies BPA is consistently linked
to obesity, developmental problems, risk for heart attack, and breast and
prostate cancer.
"The FDA's assessment relies on just two studies which were funded by the
American Chemistry Council (ACC). This ignores dozens of other studies done
by independent scientists which have found evidence of health consequences,"
says Dr. Sarah Janssen, a physician and scientist with the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC).
"The chemical industry's efforts to hide or misrepresent the hazards of
its product have been so blatant that Congress has felt the need to
intervene," said Dr. Jennifer Sass, a scientist with NRDC. Congress is
scrutinizing the communications between the ACC and a PR firm, the Weinberg
Group, whose clients have included the alcohol and tobacco industries.
A Union of Concerned Scientists poll of FDA scientists indicated broad
industry interference within the agency.
Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-MA): "Since the regulators are asleep at
the wheel, I've introduced legislation to ban BPA in all food and beverage
containers, and will continue to work to ensure that it is enacted into law."
"There is clear, credible evidence in the growing number of scientific
studies that link bisphenol A to the very health effects we see on the rise
today," says Christopher Gavigan, executive director of Healthy Child, Healthy
World.
"The profits keep growing for Dow Chemical, and other petrochemical
companies in the ACC," says Mia Davis with Workgroup for Safe Markets. "We're
demanding public health be of greater importance than the wealth of these
corporations."
"The federal government's failure to prevent harm for American citizens is
unacceptable: When will government learn to err on the side of caution instead
of risk equations?" said Lois Gibbs, founder/executive director of the Center
for Health, Environment and Justice.
.gif)
