Another bisphenol A (BPA) report has arrived, this time released by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in the United States.
Current human exposure to BPA, a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is of “some concern” for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioural effects in fetuses, infants and children, according to the final report.
The report provides the NTP’s current opinion on BPA’s potential to cause harm to human reproduction or development, with conclusions based primarily on a broad body of research involving laboratory animal studies. The report is part of a lengthy review of the scientific literature on BPA and takes into consideration public and peer review comments received on an earlier draft report. The final report is available here.
“There remains considerable uncertainty whether the changes seen in the animal studies are directly applicable to humans, and whether they would result in clear adverse health effects,” said NTP associate director John Bucher, Ph.D. “But we have concluded that the possibility that BPA may affect human development cannot be dismissed.”
About the impact that these findings may have on consumers, CERHR director Michael Shelby, Ph.D., said, “Unfortunately, it is very difficult to offer advice on how the public should respond to this information. More research is clearly needed to understand exactly how these findings relate to human health and development, but at this point we can’t dismiss the possibility that the effects we’re seeing in animals may occur in humans. If parents are concerned, they can make the personal choice to reduce exposures of their infants and children to BPA.”
