NEW YORK — Federal health agencies said Friday recent research shows cause for concern over the chemical bisphenol-A’s potential effect on children, but more study is needed before any regulatory changes are considered.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Friday they would expand efforts to research and track possible harmful effects of BPA. The chemical is used to harden plastics and has been used in water bottles, canned food lining and hundreds of other household items.
The health agencies’ key concern is BPA’s use in baby bottles and the linings of cans of liquid infant formula.
The Food and Drug Administration ruled last year trace amounts that leach out of bottles and food packaging are not dangerous. FDA officials then said they would revisit that conclusion after scientists complained it relied on a small number of industry-sponsored studies.
Some scientists believe that BPA exposure can harm the reproductive and nervous systems and possibly promote cancers. They point to findings of dozens of animal studies involving BPA, though the negative effects have not been recorded in human studies.
BPA is found in hundreds of kinds of plastic items, everything from glasses to CDs to canned food, including liquid infant formula. About 90 percent of Americans have traces of BPA in their bodies, as the chemical leaches out of food containers.
The American Chemistry Council, an industry trade group, reiterated Friday that studies have supported the safety of BPA. The group represents BPA producers including Dow Chemical Co., Bayer AG and Hexion Specialty Chemicals.
Regulators, though, feel there is a need for more research.
William Corr, deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said continued concerns over the subtle effects of BPA in laboratory animals prompted the agencies to develop a new research plan, with coordinated efforts from the Department of Health, the FDA, and others. The agencies will use $30 million in funding over the next 18 to 24 months to further assess the chemical in animal and human studies.
“It has not been found or proven to be harmful to children or adults,” Corr said. “But the data we’re getting deserves a much closer look.”
FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said that agency shares concerns over potential health issues with BPA but “needs to know more.” The agency, meanwhile, supports industry measures to stop the production of BPA-lined containers and cans.
The six major makers of baby bottles and infant feeding cups no longer use BPA in those products in the U.S., the agency said. Those products, which include Gerber and Playtex, represent more than 90 percent of the U.S. market.
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