This article below was from October 2008 and here we are in October 2023, fifteen years later. Interestingly, the official word is the situation (BPA) is still being studied and consensus is not reached as to the dangers of BPA. How can this be? Are scientists around the world that slow and incompetent? Or are some of the referenced scientists actually employed via chemical industry grants that rely on sales from BPA containing products? Here is the 2023 GPT Chat answer on the question, “Is BPA dangerous?”
There is ongoing debate among scientists about the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical commonly used in plastics. Although the FDA initially deemed BPA safe in their assessments, some independent scientists have criticized the agency’s conclusions and methodology.
Independent studies have suggested potential adverse effects of BPA on human health, including associations with various medical conditions such as cancer, reproductive issues, and developmental problems. These studies have raised concerns about the FDA’s assessment, suggesting that it may have overlooked or downplayed certain risks associated with BPA.
It is worth noting that scientific consensus on BPA’s safety has not been fully reached, and opinions on the matter may vary among different researchers and experts. Consequently, some independent scientists have indeed found the FDA’s conclusion regarding BPA’s safety to be flawed, but the entirety of the scientific community does not agree on this matter.
Quite the wiggle. Does the “entirety of the scientific community” agree on anything? Ongoing debate. So, okay, but is it actually measurably harmful? ChatGPT is like that advertising department that can never give a straight answer on certain topics.
Who profits the most from BPA sales and use?
The companies that profit the most from the sales and use of Bisphenol A (BPA) are typically chemical manufacturers and the companies that produce plastic products containing BPA. These can include manufacturers of food and beverage containers, water bottles, baby bottles, canned food and drink containers, thermal paper (used for receipts), medical equipment, and several other plastic products. BPA is widely used in these industries due to its ability to strengthen plastics and make them more durable.
GPT Chat is great at not naming names, isn’t it. Fine. Anyway, here’s an excerpt from the past article on BPA regulation:
BPA — a chemical used in food containers — is so widespread that most people have traces of it in their bodies. But health officials can’t decide if that’s a problem, or something we all can live with.
Bisphenol A is useful for hardening plastics to make all sorts of consumer products, from CDs to baby bottles. And the canning industry uses it for coatings that prevent leaks and bacterial contamination in metal food containers.
Some scientists are concerned that BPA could be harmful, since it mimics some of the effects of a powerful hormone, estrogen. Infants may be particularly vulnerable because their bodies are developing and cannot eliminate the chemical as quickly.
Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration issued a scientific assessment that BPA is safe and asked independent scientists to review its conclusion. That report — made public Tuesday — found that the FDA’s science was badly flawed. The FDA did not consider all the evidence and its margin of safety for human exposure to BPA could be off by a factor of ten times or more, the outside scientists said.
While the experts sort out the issue, what are the options for worried consumers? Here are some questions and answers:
Q: It sounds like BPA is everywhere, how can people avoid it?
A: “Get to know your plastics,” says Urvashi Rangan, a senior scientist with Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports. Avoid polycarbonate plastic containers, those imprinted with the recycling number “7” and the letters “PC.” Don’t microwave foods in these containers. Don’t use polycarbonate plastic baby bottles. Consider powdered infant formula instead of liquid formula in cans. Cut down on canned foods.
“If you the consumer want to take matters into your own hands while the science is being sorted out here, those are the things you can do that will directly reduce your level of exposure to BPA,” said Rangan.
One thing mothers should not do is stop giving their infants proper nutrition because of fears about BPA, says acting Surgeon General Steven Galson. “While the best source of nutrition for babies is the mother’s breast milk, infant formula remains the recommended alternative when breast milk is not an option,” he said. … – ap
Intentional or not, the FDA seems to some people to be protecting industry profits rather than consumers. Consumers, we think, should be able to see all scientific experiments (methods, results, and conflicts of interests), as well as all FDA meeting notes regarding approved products. Let the sunshine in over there and we’d all be healthier Americans, right?
Instead, it seems we have at least partly a pay to play approval system which has generated past situations like this: Lester Crawford “stepped down” after between 26,000 to 55,000 deaths, and they thanked “him for his service and wish[ed] him well.”
What a screwed up world, if the highest authorities can not indeed be trusted to provide consumers with needed accurate information. We asked ChatGPT and it said, in too many words, that if you believe an agency is a sham, ignore it.
If you are fighting any health issues at all, take action on your own after reading the research. See our article on Top 10 Ways to Avoid BPA.
