print this page
| 3/26/2009 |
| Bisphenol A (BPA) is Everywhere - Are We Safe? |
| BPA otherwise known as Bisphenol A is a compound widely used in the manufacture of plastics and epoxy resins. This industrial chemical has created quite a stir since 2007 and is still a subject of intense controversy. BPA can be found in plastics around us and is in the products that we use every day, from DVDs to eyeglasses to mobile phones. Normally, BPA is harmless, that is, until it gets in contact with food and drinks and leaches out. According to a report of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), “the primary source of exposure to BPA for most people is through the diet…BPA in food and beverages accounts for the majority of daily human exposure.” BPA may be found in the following: • polycarbonate tableware • food packaging (cans, soup packets, etc.) • plastic water bottles • plastic baby bottles • dental materials However, not all plastics contain BPA. Plastics are categorized into 7 types according to the recycling process and the classification codes are located at the bottom of plastic containers. According to NTP, only plastic no. 7, designated as "other" contains BPA. Incidentally there are other organizations which report that BPA is also found in plastic no. 3. |
 Some of the adverse effects that BPA may cause include the following: Neurotoxicity BPA is an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that mimics the neurotoxic properties of the hormone estrogen. According to the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) of the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC). “BPA has been associated with increases in developmental disorders of the brain and nervous system in animals. These developmental disorders in animals are like problems such as ADHD (attention deficit hyper-reactivity disorder) in humans.” Carcinogenicity Behavioral and hormonal problems Cardiovascular and metabolic disorders It comes as no surprise that these findings have generated a strong anti-BPA movement worldwide. To understand the controversy behind BPA, let's look at some of the events that have occurred in the last two years. March 2007 November 2007 The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested infant formulas for BPA and detected BPA in some of the most popular brands. When questioned, 4 out of the top 5 companies admitted using BPA in their packaging. January 2008 April 2008 May 2008 July 2008 The National Toxicology Program (NTP) issued a report on BPA, expressing the following concerns: September 2008 October 2008 Researchers at University of Cincinnati report that BPA is linked to chemotherapy resistance. The study demonstrated that "BPA does not increase cancer cell proliferation like DES [cancer-promoting compound called diethylstilbestrol] does. It’s actually acting by protecting existing cancer cells from dying in response to anti-cancer drugs, making chemotherapy significantly less effective." The American states of Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware, through their attorney generals officially asked in writing 11 manufacturers to eliminate BPA from milk formula packaging as well from baby bottles. The Canadian government announced the drafting of regulations that will prohibit the import, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain BPA. Based on a review by a subcommittee, the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) stated that “consumers should know that, based on all available evidence, the present consensus among regulatory agencies in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan is that current levels of exposure to BPA through food packaging do not pose an immediate health risk to the general population, including infants and babies.” In addition, the US FDA thinks the Canadian restrictions on BPA are “out of an abundance of caution.” January 2009 Lawmakers in Suffolk County (New York) Legislature unanimously voted for the prohibition of use of BPA in baby bottles and 'sippy' cups to be used for children under the age of four. Other state legislatures are also seriously considering similar legislation. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut announced that US' 6 major baby bottle manufacturers have agreed to stop using BPA. "All six major baby bottle companies -- Avent, Disney First Years, Gerber, Dr. Brown, Playtex and Evenflow -- have agreed to voluntarily ban BPA from bottles in a major public health victory." Bisphenol-A Website of the Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group, which is organized regionally at the American Chemistry Council, PlasticsEurope, and the Japan Chemical Industry Association. Anti-BPA " Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Hard questions about a hard plastic. Connecticut Attorney General's Office. Attorney General Announces Baby Bottle Makers Agree To Stop Using BPA; Calls For Legislative Ban. Health Canada news Release. Government of Canada Protects Families With Bisphenol A Regulations. October 17, 2008. Lang et al. Association of urinary bisphenol A concentration with medical disorders and laboratory abnormalities in adults. JAMA. 2008 Sep 17;300(11):1303-10. Epub 2008 Sep 16. LaPensee et al. Bisphenol A at Low Nanomolar Doses Confers Chemoresistance in Estrogen Receptor-α–Positive and –Negative Breast Cancer Cells Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 117, Number 2, February 2009. Le et al..Bisphenol A is released from polycarbonate drinking bottles and mimics the neurotoxic actions of estrogen in developing cerebellar neurons. Toxicol Lett. 2008 Jan 30;176(2):149-56. Epub 2007 Nov 19. Mitka M. Baby Bottle Safety. JAMA. 2008;299(18):2141. National Toxicology Program. BPA fact sheet. News Blaze. Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Baby Bottle Manufacturers. March 12,2007. Palanza et al. Effects of developmental exposure to bisphenol A on brain and behavior in mice. Environ Res. 2008 Oct;108(2):150-7. Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit. BPA and phthalates. Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).US BPA usage could be curbed. UC Health News. Bisphenol A Linked to Chemotherapy Resistance. US FDA Statement February 9, 2009. Regulatory Meeting with Manufacturers and Users of Bisphenol A-containing Materials. US FDA. . Vandenberg et al. Perinatal exposure to the xenoestrogen bisphenol-A induces mammary intraductal hyperplasias in adult CD-1 mice. Reprod Toxicol. 2008 Nov-Dec;26(3-4):210-9. Epub 2008 Oct 15. |
Previous Articles from "The INSIDER"
|
|
| 1/4/2010 | |
| Medical Errors: Are We in Safe Hands? | |
| Mistakes are not something that we usually associate with the medical field. But medical mistakes do happen mainly because medical professionals are only humans who can err. In medical terms, they are called iatrogenic events, defined as unintended harm or suffering caused by health care. Medical mistakes are usually something that people associate with health care in developing and low-income countries where they lack the right infrastructure and trained personnel. The fact is, a lot of medical mix ups and mistakes in hospitals and clinics occur all over the world, including Europe and North America. One gets to wonder how many medical misadventures go unreported! | |
| Read the full article >> | |
| 11/13/2009 | |
| CPR Needs Resuscitation & Resuscitation Needs CPR | |
| CPR, otherwise known as Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, is universally accepted worldwide as the emergency procedure of choice that is performed on people who have stopped breathing (respiratory arrest) or whose heart has stopped beating (cardiac arrest). But at the same time it remains underutilized and at the same time misunderstood.
Contrary to popular belief, CPR is not meant to and is unlikely to restore a heartbeat. When the heart or breathing stops, the flow of blood to the brain and other organs is interrupted. Brain and organ damage will occur within minutes of arrest. The objective of CPR is to keep the blood circulating, similar to 'priming the pump', until an effective heartbeat and breathing can be restored. CPR is just a part of the continuum of the medical management of cardiac arrest. If heart function is restored, it is usually by trained medical personnel with a medical device such as a defibrillator. However, reversal of cardiac arrest is time critical and many patients die before emergency medical services (EMS) arrive. |
|
| Read the full article >> | |
| 9/25/2009 | |
| Propofol, The New Illicit Prescription Drug | |
Over the years, there have been many case reports involving doctors and nurses abusing Propofol. However, they didn't attract any attention because the incidence was relatively low compared to other drugs such as opioids. Until the recent death of Michael Jackson. The King of Pop had apparently been using Propofol and toxicology reports found significant amounts of Propofol in Michael Jackson's body, along with other drugs. |
|
| Read the full article >> | |
| 8/6/2009 | |
| Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Is There Hope? | |
| On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson, well-known as the King of Pop, died of cardiac arrest. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. and the majority of CVD deaths are attributable to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) which claims more than 250,000 lives each year. One person dies of SCA-related events every two minutes. This is equivalent to more 650 deaths each day. Each year, more people die from SCA than from breast cancer, lung cancer, stroke, or AIDS combined. SCA mortality is high. 95% of SCA cases are fatal. Two-thirds of SCA events occur in people without any previous indications of heart disease. | |
| Read the full article >> | |
| 6/29/2009 | |
| The Stroke Epidemic Part 2 - Is the Treatment Worth the Risk? | |
| Eighty-five per cent of strokes are caused by blockages or clots as opposed to a bleed and there are 700,000 new strokes diagnosed every year. Most of the patients live. However CVAs are responsible for 160,000 deaths in the U.S. which represents the third leading cause of death. Heart disease is still the leader at about 650,000 a year and Cancer is gaining on heart disease but still is second at 560,000 deaths every year.
The incidence of strokes went down all through the seventies and eighties, reaching a low point in 1992 of just under 140,000. But since then it has gone up, and will continue to rise. Why? The Boomers are getting old. Watch out for those Boomers! Which is why in the U.S. strokes are the leading cause for dollars spent for treatment of long-term disability which represents forty five billion dollars of the total health care expenditures of 2.7 trillion dollars. Nothing else even comes close. To have so many dollars spent on rehabilitation of a disease makes one wonder about what kinds of treatment are available. |
|
| Read the full article >> | |
