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The debate over the safety of chemicals used to make plastics just got more confusing. Today a government panel and a major medical journal issued differing opinions about the potential health risks linked to plastics, specifically a compound called BPA.
At a public hearing, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defended the chemical, saying it's safe. However, results of the first major study in people suggests BPA may cause even more problems than previously thought.
Dr. Frederick vom Saal, with the University of Missouri-Columbia said, "Statements by the FDA officials were nothing more than absolute guesses."
At the FDA public hearing on BPA, there were strong words from activists and some scientists who took the podium to protest the FDA's recent report defending the safety of the common chemical compound used to make plastic products.
Dr. Laura Tarantino, with the FDA, said, "There is not a health risk to consumers, including children, at current levels of exposure. And there's not evidence sufficient to change the determination that the current margins of safety are protective."
Evidence gathered from studies conducted mostly in animals suggests BPA may increase the risk of reproductive problems and some cancers. "The FDA is ignoring all of this research," vom Saal said.
The latest research is the first major study in people, and it adds a new perspective. The findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest exposure to BPA may be associated with two of the most commonly diagnosed ailments in America -- heart disease and diabetes.
A government toxicologist said the possibility that BPA may alter human health cannot be dismissed. John Bucher, PhD, with the National Toxicology Program, said, "Clearly much, much more research is needed to better understand the implications of these findings for human health."
It's research that will take years to complete. Whether action should be taken before then is up to the government. The FDA is expected to issue a final report about BPA, including any regulations, sometime this fall.
Scientists stress that this latest study does not find that BPA causes heart disease and diabetes. The results found people with the health problems had higher levels compared to those without the ailments.
The chemical industry questioned the accuracy of the study, and pointed out that earlier evidence in animals doesn't add up to danger for humans.
