WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), author of legislation to prohibit the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in all food and beverage containers and senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee which has jurisdiction over the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), today questioned FDA’s assessment of the safety of BPA in light of a recent decision by the Canadian government to ban BPA in baby bottles and take additional actions to limit the amount of BPA being released into the environment.

"Canada is on the right track given the serious concerns about the impact of BPA on human development raised by several scientific studies. Why, when the FDA has reviewed studies with the same conclusions as the studies reviewed by Canada, has the FDA not taken similar action?" said Rep. Markey.

"I think that at minimum, American babies deserve the same protections from our government as the Canadian government has provided for babies born north of the border. For the sake of the health of every man, woman and child in America, I hope we will soon follow Canada's example and go further, to a complete ban on BPA in all food and beverage containers, especially because there are alternatives already available that don't pose health risks."

On October 17^th, the Government of Canada announced that it will immediately proceed with drafting regulations to prohibit the importation, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain BPA.

On June 10th, Rep. Markey introduced legislation, H.R. 6228, to prohibit the use of BPA in all food and beverage containers. In his October 23^rd letter to FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach, Rep. Markey asked whether the FDA considers a different level of risk acceptable for American consumers, including infants, than the Canadian government is willing to accept for its consumers and if this latest information and decision from Canada will be considered as FDA makes its final decision on the safety of BPA ? <full text of letter here>

At the end of this month, a special FDA subcommittee charged with assessing the safety of BPA is expected to issue its assessment of whether U.S. regulation of BPA is necessary.

Recent news reports about a previously-undisclosed $5 million donation from an opponent of BPA regulation to the research center run by the chairman of the FDA subcommittee on BPA have cast a shadow on whatever conclusion the subcommittee produces. Last week, Rep. Markey wrote a letter to FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach urging that the BPA panel chairman either return the $5 million contribution or recuse himself from further deliberations on BPA.

"The spotlight is on the FDA now, and we need to be sure that its determination about the safety of BPA is based solely on scientific evidence and not colored by any conflicts. The Canadians clearly recognize that the objective scientific evidence indicates potential harmful effects of BPA even in low doses, and I urge the FDA also to recognize this safety risk and take appropriate regulatory action to restrict its prevalence in the marketplace," Rep. Markey said.

 
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