| A recent study released by the Journal of the | | | | All this flies in the face of 40 years of science, |
| American Medical Association raises a concern | | | | according to a statement released by the |
| about the chemical bisphenol-A, (BPA) in plastic | | | | American Chemistry Council a few days after the |
| bottles, metal cans and various food packaging, as | | | | Today segment aired. Another thoughtful piece |
| well as in all those eco-friendly reusable water | | | | by Gilbert Ross, M.D. of the American Council On |
| bottles we're all carrying around. | | | | Science And Health (who also appeared, very |
| Based on a health survey, the study found that | | | | briefly in the report) came out and called the |
| those who had higher amounts of BPA in their | | | | Today report what it is - junk science. |
| urine were more likely to report having heart | | | | Not only that, the in-studio guest, Dr. Leo |
| disease and diabetes. Of course the research | | | | Trasande of Mount Sinai Medical Center was given |
| presents no information that says the BPA | | | | ample time during the six minute long segment to |
| caused these conditions, and the study authors | | | | convey his message, while Dr. Ross had only 6 |
| agree that you can't rule out the possibility that | | | | seconds to tell viewers that, "The toxic effects |
| people who already have heart disease or | | | | found on rats were done at thousands of times |
| diabetes are more vulnerable to having BPA show | | | | higher than we are exposed to in the |
| up in their samples. | | | | environment." |
| True to form, NBC's Today Show aired a report | | | | Not so "fair and balanced" now is it? |
| earlier this year that glossed over the facts and | | | | The media mis-information comes as the result of |
| highlighted a fearful danger - needlessly worrying | | | | a report by the National Toxicology Program that |
| millions of us who've fed our children from clear | | | | was a follow up from an expert panel review |
| plastic baby bottles and sippy cups, who've tried | | | | completed in 2007. Both the expert panel and the |
| not to add to the world's pollution by switching to | | | | NTP reports similarly concluded a low-rate risk, or |
| re-useable water bottles. | | | | negligible concern, for adults and some concern |
| The story had us turning over our plastic | | | | for infants and children. |
| containers in search of numbers (resin ID codes | | | | "That is the third-lowest ranking on NTP's |
| #3, #6 and #7) that it turns out, don't have | | | | five-level scale. Yet the media has |
| anything to do with a product being made from | | | | mischaracterized the conclusions as suggesting a |
| BPA, the chemical bad guy of the piece. | | | | new direction is being given by NTP about the use |
| The "Consumer Alert" (inaccurately) said: | | | | of BPA. This is inaccurate," says Sharon Kneiss, |
| - There is no safe level of BPA, when in fact the | | | | vice president of the products division of the |
| chemical has been studied for many years and | | | | American Chemistry Council (ACC). |
| found to be safe, especially considering that the | | | | Until the science is sorted out, there is no way to |
| levels we ingest are thousands of times lower | | | | tell if a bottle you're using is made with BPA. If |
| than the rats that have been studied. | | | | you're especially concerned, you might want to |
| - Plastics containing BPA aren't safe in the | | | | avoid warming or microwaving food or beverages |
| microwave, yet a Dutch study that focused on | | | | in plastic containers until more research on the |
| BPA migration after microwaving found no | | | | leaking of the chemical can be completed. |
| evidence of any such thing. | | | | In the meantime the FDA is having a second |
| - Codes on the bottom of a container can tell you | | | | scientific panel give an opinion on the safety of |
| if it's safe. Wrong! These resin ID codes are | | | | BPA in plastic bottles and other packaging, though |
| intended to aid in recycling facilities, and have | | | | the agency has confidence in its own research, |
| nothing to do with identifying bottles that have | | | | more carefully designed and thorough than the |
| BPA. Any item intended to be used for food | | | | human studies that seem to be causing all the |
| must pass tough FDA guidelines before its ever | | | | concern. |
| allowed on the market. | | | | |