ACC Responds to Bisphenol A (BPA) Study Published In Pediatrics

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Oct 24, 2011, 12:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) offers the following comments in response to queries regarding a study by Joe M. Braun, MSPH, Ph.D., et al. published on-line today in Pediatrics and titled "Impact of Early-Life Bisphenol A Exposure on Behavior and Executive Function in Children." Quotes from the following analysis of the study may be attributed to Steven G. Hentges, Ph.D., of the ACC's Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group.

"For parents, the most important information from this report is that the authors themselves question its relevance: 'the clinical relevance of these findings is unclear at this point.'

"ACC and its member companies strongly support research to advance scientific understanding about chemicals. The study released in Pediatrics has significant shortcomings in study design and the conclusions are of unknown relevance to public health. The researchers themselves acknowledge that it had statistical deficiencies, including its small sample size and the potential for the results being due to chance alone.

"Parents and consumers need information about actual, real-world safety. Recent, robust research funded by the EPA and conducted by scientists at the government's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, CDC and FDA do not support the findings of this study. Consistent with previous human and animal studies, the Pacific Northwest study (Teeguarden et al.) indicates that, because of the way BPA is processed in the body, it is very unlikely that BPA could cause health effects at any realistic exposure level. Furthermore, regulators from Europe to Japan to the US have recently reviewed hundreds of studies on BPA and repeatedly supported the continued safe use of BPA."

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The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $720 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council