Chemical “fear-mongerer” responds

{mosads}

My medical practice has included many patients directly sickened by chemicals in their workplace or community. My work on the Gulf coast after the BP oil disaster in 2010 connected me with fishermen and community residents whose health and livelihood has been directly affected by the contaminants in the oil and dispersants. Because Dr. Ross no longer practices medicine and has not engaged with communities on the Gulf coast or elsewhere, it is perhaps not surprising that he dismisses the seriousness of the situation.

The misinformation in Ross’ post is extensive, and a point-by-point response to each false statement would be tiresome and unnecessary. The core of the discussion, fundamentally, is whether there are scientific reasons for concern about the safety of chemicals in our environment, and whether there is a scientific basis for reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The answer is easy: yes.

Ross asserts specifically that the widespread chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are safe, and that our concerns are ‘junk science.’ In fact, BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical that mimics estrogen. The evidence on the health problems associated with BPA is so strong that it has been banned for numerous uses in 11 states, the European Union, China, and Canada.

In humans, BPA exposure has been linked to miscarriage, erectile dysfunction, diabetes, heart disease and alterations in toddler behavior.  In animals, fetal exposure to BPA—at dose levels within the current range of human exposure—causes earlier onset of puberty, increased susceptibility to breast and prostate cancer, and changes in gender-specific behavior caused by altered brain development.

Meanwhile, the widespread use of phthalates in consumer products has resulted in nearly universal contamination of people’s bodies with certain phthalates, which have been measured in breast milk, umbilical cord blood, and amniotic fluid.

Many phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals that interfere with testosterone production, which is necessary for proper development and function of male reproductive organs. Interference with testosterone activity, especially early in life, can have irreversible effects on male reproduction. Phthalate exposures in humans and animals have been linked to changes in sex hormone levels, altered development of genitals, and low sperm count and quality.

It is concern about these kinds of health effects, based on extensive scientific research by multiple disciplines that led Congress to ban unanimously the use of six phthalates from use in children’s products in 2008 – legislation signed by President George W. Bush.

Ross’s post cites a recent publication from his organization, the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) intended to rebut an NRDC report issued in March 2011 on disease clusters. Our report identified nearly 40 disease clusters in 13 states confirmed by researchers or public health authorities, including communities with statistically significant increases in childhood cancers, Lou Gehrig’s disease, blood disorders, and other diseases. 

In most cases, the causes of these disease clusters haven’t been determined, which is something Ross and ACSH use to argue that they aren’t clusters at all. Of course, the numbers don’t lie, and these disease clusters are real. The true debate is about the cause.

We do not claim that chemicals caused all of these disease clusters – many of these diseases may have been caused by other factors – but we do believe that these clusters require investigation, since they may provide important clues to the causes of disease. Senators Mike Crapo and Barbara Boxer have recognized the common sense of this issue, and their bipartisan legislation (S. 76) to improve health investigations in communities suffering from disease clusters has passed through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and awaits floor action.

Most scientists, health care providers, and members of the public agree that chemicals should be tested for safety before they are allowed to come onto the market, and that chemicals shown to be toxic shouldn’t be allowed, especially in consumer products that could harm kids. That’s why reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a broadly bipartisan issue that makes sense to nearly everyone.

Solomon is a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council and a clinical professor of health sciences at the University of California, San Francisco where she is the director of the occupational and environmental medicine residency program.