Public and Scientific Comment Sought on Expert Panel Reports On the Possible Human
Reproductive Effects of Seven Phthalates
The National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences and the National
Toxicology Program, which is headquartered at NIEHS, today made available expert
panel reports on the possible reproductive hazards of seven plasticizers and asked for
public and scientific comment on them.
The comments will be reviewed and used in preparing a final report from
the NIEHS/NTP Center for the Evaluation of Risks on Human
Reproduction.
During three meetings over 15 months, the expert panel reviewed
published information from studies of humans and animals exposed to the chemicals, which
are used to give PVC plastics such characteristics as flexibility and strength, over 15
months. The expert panel generally expressed "minimal " or
"negligible" concern for the possibility that these substances may cause adverse
reproductive effects under current levels of human exposure. However, the panel expressed
"serious concern" about di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) as used to make
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) medical tubing and other medical devices for feeding and
medicating critically ill newborn infants and for assisting their breathing. The panel
said such procedures might result in exposures to DEHP that are much higher than for the
general population and could affect development of the male reproductive system.
Panel members said at the end of the sessions in July that they hoped
their concern might lead to DEHP-free medical devices for use in infants. At the same
time, they acknowledged the life-saving potential of medical devices containing DEHP to
support preemies and other ill newborns through life-and-death situations.
The panel included 16 scientists from in and out of government experts
representing such disciplines as toxicology, epidemiology and medicine. Besides DEHP, the
panel evaluated data on di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP), butyl
benzyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, di-n-hexyl phthalate, and di-n-octyl phthalate.
The panel's reports can be obtained at the NTP website
cerhr.niehs.nih.gov or by writing or telephoning Ms. Harriet McCollum, CERHR coordinator,
1800 Diagonal Road Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314-2808, (703) 838-9440. Comments should
be submitted within 60 days to Michael D. Shelby, Ph.D., CERHR director, B3-09, the
NIEHS/NTP, Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Further details appear in the Federal Register notice
of October 10, Volume 65, Number 196, page 60206.
# # # #
The URL for
this press release is: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/phthcom .htm
|
