FDA Decision on BPA Outrages Health Advocates

            Scientific studies ignored on bisphenol A evaluation



    FALLS CHURCH, Va., Aug. 20 /EMWNews/ -- 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.



    Interview contacts:



    Sarah Janssen, MD, PhD, MPH Natural Resources Defense Council.

415.875.6126 [email protected]



    Jennifer Sass, PhD, Natural Resource Defense Council 202.289.6868

[email protected]



    Anila Jacobs, MD, Environmental Working Group ... Alex Formuzis (202)

939-9140



    Janet Nudelman, Director of Program and Policy for the Breast Cancer

Fund ...Shannon Coughlin, 415.336.2246 [email protected]



    Mia Davis Co-Coordinator, Workgroup for Safe Markets 617.338.8131 ext

201 [email protected]



    Kathleen A. Curtis, Policy Director, Clean New York, a project of

Women's Voices for the Earth 518 669.8282; 518 355.6202

[email protected]



    Sarah Uhl, Coordinator of the Coalition for a Safe & Healthy

Connecticut 860.232.6232; 860.882.9950 [email protected]



    Jane Haley-Harris, Executive Director of the Oregon Center for

Environmental Health; 503.233.1510; [email protected]



    Lindsay Dahl, Healthy Legacy Minnesota, 612.870.3458

http://www.healthylegacy.org, [email protected]



    Christopher Gavigan, CEO / Executive Director, Healthy Child Healthy

World 310. 820. 2030 http://www.healthychild.org



    Lois Gibbs, founder, Center for Health Environment and Justice ...

Dianna S. Wentz 703.237.2249, ext. 19 [email protected]



    For more information: http://www.breastcancerfund.org/FDABPA



    http://www.babystoxicbottle.org