BPA-Update: Can the FDA be Bribed?

Written by Sean Nel

Friday, 07 November 2008 07:38

You know... this is getting ridiculous. Somebody should fire somebody over at the FDA. Maybe President Obama can help the world by doing this as his first act as President of the United States of Greed.

I have read up on BPA, and study after study after study says we should really be staying away from this ingredient in plastics. But nooo.... The FDA still deems it as safe. do yourself a favour and read my rant about the latest hearings the FDA had on the matter, where opposing scientists were given no more than 3-minutes to state their case.

Everybody was baffled by that one, until earlier this week, when it came to light that FDA's Sub-comitee chairman investigating the BPA issue, co-directs a research centre that just received a $5,000,000 donation from a pro BPA activist. The FDA says there is no conflict of interest... really?!

There is growing fear that BPA — a chemical found in baby bottles and liners for canned goods — might affect the brain development and behavior of fetuses and young children or cause other problems. The F.D.A. said in a recent draft assessment that the small amounts that leach into food or milk are not dangerous, but scientists at the federal agency for toxicological research have expressed concern. All of which makes an authoritative evaluation of BPA especially important.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported over the weekend that the chairman of the advisory panel sifting through the evidence leads a research center that recently received a $5 million donation from an outspoken critic of government regulation who believes BPA is “perfectly safe.” The donor also says he told the panel chairman so in several conversations.

NewYork Times

Luckily, It seems the US neighbors to the North, Canada, has continued with it's plans to ban Bisphenol-A from many children's and infant's products. The ban is seen as a start.

The federal government's decision to ban polycarbonate baby bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) is being applauded by advocacy group Toxic Free Canada.

The ban came into effect Oct. 17, following Health and Environment Canada's final screening assessment of BPA. The first of its kind internationally, it prohibits the importation, sale and advertising of the bottles, and is intended to reduce the exposure of newborns and infants under 18 months to BPA.

Canada.com

The nice thing about this is that retailers have started to see the light, and know there is something coming, so they have told suppliers that they will not stock products containing BPA. So where the FDA has failed, consumerism triumphs!

Great?

Nope... not so great...

Some estimates to rework factories producing these bottles and liners, etc, will take approximately 7 years to convert. This simply means, that the US and EU buyers will stop buying and fall away, but because it's still legal to make the products, and money is money, those products will just be shipped to emerging markets, with South Africa being high on the list.

Nothing will stop the influx of dangerous junk to our shores, so the only defense is education. Luckily, Websites like the Cosmetics Database and Z-Reccomends exists. Do yourself a favour and check up on the products you plan to buy.

Here is an updated list of BPA free bottles:

Avent:
Avent has only one BPA-Free feeding bottle... all the rest of their lines contain BPA

Dr. Brown's:
Many people like the bottle design, especially for colicky babies, but they have only recently brought in BPA-Free alternatives. Look for their POLYPROYLENE Bottles, and also their new GLASS bottle range

MAM:
MAM has two ranges that is BPA free - The Drink Easy Bottle, as well as the MAM Ultivent Bottle

MEDELA:
All Medela Products are BPA Free and has apparently always been.

Pigeon:
Pigeon has a range of Glass Bottles that is safe for use (and obviously BPA free)

Please do yourself a favour, and check up on the products over at Z-Recommends. They have the lowdone on over 961 products from 130 brands, find them here: http://www.zrecsguide.com/

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