Three environmental groups plan to run this ad, which lists
cosmetics that contain a chemical they consider dangerous, in the
New York Times later this week.
Cosmetics full of suspect chemicals, report claims
Phthalates cause defects
in animals; no evidence
of hazards in humans
July
10
Cosmetics
ranging from perfume to hair gel contain chemicals shown to cause birth
defects in animals, a group that lobbies on health issues said on Wednesday.
Chemicals that can damage the development and future fertility of babies
dont belong in products marketed to women.
BRYONY SCHWAN
Health
Care Without Harm
IT LISTED 52
different products that contain phthalates (pronounced tha-lates)
chemicals that are used to soften plastics. Only one of the products listed
phthalates on the label.
Although there is no evidence showing that phthalates are harmful to
humans, the group argues that they should be removed from cosmetics until
they can be shown to be safe.
ANIMAL STUDIES
Health Care Without Harm, a coalition of health, religious, labor and
environmental groups, has been lobbying against phthalates for years. It
cites tests that show the chemicals can cause defects in animals, most often
abnormalities of the male reproductive organs.
The group, along with Coming Clean and Environmental Working Group,
commissioned a lab to test 72 different products, including body lotion,
nail polish and deodorant, for phthalates, and said 52 of them contained the
chemical.
These products are marketed to women of reproductive age, they said,
and could potentially hurt their babies both developing fetuses and
nursing infants.
Source: Environmental Working Group
compilation of product testing results from Stat Analysis Corporation,
Chicago, Illinois. *All results shown reflect data from laboratory
chemical analysis except results for nail polish, which stem from an EWG
analysis of nail polish ingredient labels and nail polish patent records
Chemicals that can damage the development and future fertility of
babies dont belong in products marketed to women, the groups Bryony
Schwan told reporters.
Advertisement
Phthalate-free
products that perform as well are on the market for virtually every single
phthalate-containing product.
The American Chemistry Council denied the use of chemicals in
cosmetics can hurt people.
Phthalates are among the most widely studied materials in the world
and have been researched and tested for more than 50 years, a council
statement on phthalates said.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association said in a statement,
The use of phthalates in cosmetics and personal care products is supported
by an extensive body of scientific research and data that confirms safety.
CDC FINDINGS
In a large-scale survey of just what chemicals can be found in
peoples blood, the CDC found surprisingly high levels of phthalates,
although not enough to cause immediate concern.
The only thing of concern that came up was this CDC report showing that
women of child-bearing age had higher levels of dibutyl phthalates in their
blood, a spokesman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, said
in a telephone interview. The official asked not to be named.
The problem is the study didnt say where they came from and the use
of phthalates is ubiquitous, the official said.
Last September, the FDA determined most patients do not seem to be at
risk from phthalates in IV tubing and other medical equipment, with the
possible exception of children undergoing medical procedures such as blood
transfusions.
The FDA said Cosmetic Ingredient Review, an independent body that
reviews the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics, would take a new look
at phthalates this year and a representative of the agency would be there.
Worried about evidence that phthalates could leach out of plastic,
the European Union in 1999 banned their use in some baby toys designed to be
put into the mouth, and recently extended the ban.
Health Care Without Harm names the products tested at the Internet
Web site http://www.nottoopretty.org.
The industrys reply can be found at
http://www.phthalates.org.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth."
-- Albert Einstein, letter to a friend, 1901
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William C. Jarvis, September 28, 1820
Sandy's Scandals Column
Past and current Scandals
- columns by Sandy Gottstein (aka Mintz)*
* ►March 20, 2010
- Taking
the Final Step: Implementation of a Mandatory Flu Shot Program Within a
Healthcare System - Fifth Decennial International Conference
on Healthcare-Associated Infections (abstract) - "Exemption from
vaccination was allowed for egg allergy, history of either
Guillian-Barré or a post-flu shot anaphylaxis. A formal
exemption process began as a written appeal to an internal review board
which determined exemption. For the non-exempt, the choice to not be
vaccinated resulted in termination. Rehire is conditional, based on the
intent to comply with influenza vaccination in the future. ...Over
99.99% of approximately 3800 employees received a seasonal flu shot. No
serious side effects occurred among those receiving vaccine. Of those
employees who applied for exemption but were denied, 4 chose to
terminate employement; however, one of these, a physician, chose
retirement rather than immunization. Consequences for unvaccinated,
non-employees were not explored this initial year."
* ►March 19, 2010
- Autism,
Vaccines, Thimerosal: Further Study Needed - Age of Autism -
"No study has looked at the possible effect of the synergistic toxicity
of aluminum and thimerosal, which are never supposed to be used in
combination (according to the Manufacturer Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
for thimerosal ) and are indeed combined in many shots (according to
the Vaccine Excipient Summary from the
CDC). And no controlled study, not one, exists on the effect of
low dose ethyl mercury toxicity in humans (a statement made by study
author Anders Hviid himself below on p.1765)."
* ►March 18, 2010
- FDA
to Ease Way for Multidrug Regimens (MRK,AZN) - SmarTrend News Watch
via COMTEX via Trading Markets - "At least two pharmaceutical consortia
are poised to take advantage of the forthcoming policy: a group of 10
drug companies and several nonprofit organizations convened by the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop medicines to fight
tuberculosis; and pharmaceutical giants Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK |
Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) and AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE: AZN |
Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating), which are jointly testing two
anticancer agents."