Committee To Probe Use Of Bisphenol A

The House Committee on Energy & Commerce has begun an investigation into the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in products used by infants and children. Committee Chairman John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) has sent letters to seven manufacturers of baby food and formula asking them whether their products are contaminated with BPA, the monomer employed to make polycarbonate plastic. He also wrote to FDA, asking what studies it used to decide that BPA does not pose a health risk. "There is concern in the scientific community that this chemical, bisphenol A, may be harmful both to adults and children, and some retail stores in Canada have pulled products from their shelves because it may harm adults," Dingell says. An expert panel convened by the National Toxicology Program concluded last year that there is "some concern" that in utero and childhood exposure to BPA could cause neural and behavioral problems. The letters are available at energycommerce.house.gov/investigations/bisphenol.shtml.