The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a landmark regulation to set exposure limits to sever per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) substances including PFOS and PFOAS found in drinking water. The proposed regulation sets an aggressive limit for these PFAS and their mixtures and acknowledges effects at extremely low levels by proposing a health based Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCGL) of zero. This is the first time the government has regulated a new chemical in drinking water in more than 30 years. The Endocrine Society urged EPA to improve upon its draft rule in 2022 by including other PFAS (beyond PFOA and PFOS) in the final rule and consider low-dose effects by recognizing that there may be no safe level of exposure to these chemicals. We are encouraged by the new regulation and hopeful that this will lead to safer drinking water for communities in the United States and support for additional research to understand the health impacts of these and other chemicals.
In recent weeks, organizations around the world have intensified their lobbying efforts for better regulation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and the Endocrine Society’s members continue to play a leading role as the voice of science in high-level discussions. In the European Union, the Commission is under a tight deadline to deliver reforms to the regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), which governs restrictions on EDCs. To ensure prioritization of this reform we partnered with the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) to organize a petition to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasizing the urgent need to deliver a legislative proposal to revise REACH by June 2023. The petition was co-signed by 44 European and international endocrine-focused scientific societies, and also delivered to Members of the European Parliament and other policymakers with an interest in EDCs. The petition generated significant attention and was reported on by Politico EU noting our “United Front”. Additionally, we signed a letter organized by the European Environment Bureau and supported by 11 other members of a high-level strategic advisory group on chemicals and sustainability to urge the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, to support a prompt revision of REACH to ensure harmonized and predictable regulatory approaches to chemicals, including EDCs, across the EU. Reforms to the REACH regulation are necessary to ensure that new regulatory classes that identify hazardous EDCs can be implemented to reduce exposure to these harmful chemicals.
Amid mounting pressure to lower the cost of insulin, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk followed Eli Lilly Company’s announcement that they, too, would slash US prices for insulin by up to 75% and 70%, respectively in 2024. The Endocrine Society has been one of the most vocal advocates for lowering the cost and price of insulin. After Eli Lilly made its announcement, we called on the other manufacturers to follow suit.
The Society also will continue to advocate for legislation to extend the $35/month co-pay cap for insulin that was enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act to help people with Medicare.
We rely on your voice to advocate for our policy priorities. Join us to show our strength as a community that cares about endocrinology. Contact your U.S representatives or European Members of Parliament through our online platform. Take action and make a difference today.