FDA and Scientist Argue over BPA Risk, Consumers Left in Confusion

By Alexander Toldt
21:11, October 29th 2008
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FDA and Scientist Argue over BPA Risk, Consumers Left in Confusion

Health officials are currently trying to establish whether bisphenol A (BPA) is a threat or a substance we should get used to. BPA is a substance used to harden plastics so it’s probably one of the most wide spread substances in the world. Producers are using it to make everything from food containers to CD and baby bottles.

However, some scientist fear that the BPA, which is so widespread that many people have traces of it in their bodies, can be harmful to the human organism. The problem with it is that it supposedly imitates some of the effects of the very powerful hormone called estrogen.

It’s not the first time when the group of scientists brings this matter on the table of the Food and Drug Administration. It also happened earlier this year and the FDA asked the scientists to review the results of their study of the problem and issued a scientific assessment that BPA is safe.

Nevertheless, the group of scientists now claim that the FDA rushed when it decided to send them back to the lab to review their conclusions. According to the scientists, FDA’s science was badly flawed because it didn’t take all the evidence into account. The agency may have misjudged the safety for human exposure to BPA by a factor of ten times at least.

"When we looked at the draft report, we felt that it was incomplete in a few very important aspects," said Dr. Garret FitzGerald, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, ABC News reported.

However, until the group of concerned scientist and the FDA settle their dispute, what should we know about this BPA which seems to be all around us?

In short, there are some things to be avoided: polycarbonate plastic container, polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and canned foods. Avoiding these things may decrease your level of exposure to BPA.



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