Muslims and the environment: Critics slag government report declaring bisphenol A safe

by: Salaam

Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 11:44:05 AM EDT

Early onset of puberty, especially in girls, is one of the health risks of bisphenol A.

What is too early?
For girls, any signs of sexual development prior to age eight may indicate a problem. Eight is still quite early and if a girl is showing symptoms she should probably be evaluated.

What are the signs?
In girls, look for the following:

Body odor
Acne
A sudden rapid growth spurt
Menstruation onset
Breast development
Pubic or underarm hair development

For girls, there are usually dramatic emotional problems associated with precocious puberty. Such girls are often more aggressive than other children. Girls are often teased and made to be objects of sexually inappropriate jokes by the pre-pubescent children around them, who find their early development embarrassing. Source.

Lawmakers, scientists and advocacy groups intensified their criticism Thursday of a government report declaring bisphenol A to be safe.

• A group of 36 international scientists issued a blistering assessment of the Food and Drug Administration report, calling it seriously flawed.

• A congressman whose committee oversees the FDA wrote the commissioner, renewing his call for a ban of the controversial chemical.

• An advocacy group demanded that the FDA cancel its meeting next week to discuss the draft.

The Journal Sentinel reported Thursday that the draft was done primarily by representatives of the plastics industry and those with an interest in downplaying concerns about the chemical. Bisphenol A, used in baby bottles and other hard plastic, has been detected in the urine of 93% of Americans tested. Hundreds of studies have found it to cause health problems in laboratory animals, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hyperactivity, autism and reproductive failure.

The newspaper found reviews of studies in the FDA draft had been supplied by a consulting firm that also worked for chemical makers. A review of studies that was included in the draft had been commissioned by Stephen Hentges, executive director of the American Chemistry Council's group on bisphenol A. The council represents chemical companies and lobbies Congress on their behalf.

The Environmental Working Group, a watchdog health group, issued a statement Thursday saying the newspaper's most recent report proves a glaring conflict of interest that should render the draft meaningless.

Story here.