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ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS
To share the latest science-based information on EDCs, we have prepared the following newsletter for policymakers in the EU. If you have any questions or requests for content, please reach out to Joe Laakso, PhD, Director of Science Policy at [email protected].
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THE LATEST EDC SCIENCE
Phthalates Associated With Liver Disease
23 August, 2021 | This study examines data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to evaluate the association of phthalates with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The report concludes that phthalate exposure “was independently associated with NAFLD both in males and females.”
12 September, 2021 | In this study, researchers found that women who developed postpartum depression had significantly higher levels of a specific member of a class of EDCs called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). The study suggests that PBDE-47 exposure in the first trimester is associated with increased risk of postpartum depression.
16 September, 2021 | Researchers in this study analyzed blood samples from up to 1,286 pregnant women from the Odense Child Cohort. The researchers found that women with higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their system were 20% more likely to stop breastfeeding early.
EU EDC POLICY DEVELOPMENTS
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Endocrine Society European Union
EDC Task Force
Barbara Demeneix, PhD, DSC, Muséum National D'histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
Jorma Toppari, MD, PhD, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Ángel Nadal, PhD, IDiBE and CIBERDEM,
Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Alicante, Spain
Katharina M. Main, PhD, University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Josef Köhrle, Dr. rer. nat., Charité University-Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
GianCarlo Panzica, PhD, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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Chemicals Strategy Roundtable Holds First Meeting
On 5 May, the European Commission hosted the first meeting of the high-level roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, comprising representatives from industry, science and the civil society. Barbara Demeneix, Chair of the Society’s EDC Advisory Group, delivered remarks during the introductory session about the need to act quickly to minimize exposure to EDCs and protect human health. We also submitted a written statement outlining our priority objectives for the roundtable, including faster and more effective identification processes for EDCs, removal of identified EDCs from consumer products, and strengthening data requirements for EDCs through updated testing and screening methods.
Commission Hosts Third EDC Stakeholder Forum
Following from the November 2018 Commission Communication “Towards a comprehensive European Union framework on endocrine disruptors,” on 20-21 September, the Commission held the third annual forum on endocrine disruptors. The agenda featured presentations from European and global regulatory and policy experts, as well as scientific presentations. Scientific experts gave updates on large EU projects, and representatives from the European Society for Endocrinology and the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology shared new information on the impact of EDCs across the lifespan.
Right to Science Report Adopted
On 21 September the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Dr. Marcos A. Orellana, presented a thematic report to the UN Human Rights Council on the right to science in the context of toxic substances. We gave input to this report, which studies how the human right to benefit from scientific knowledge relates to emerging knowledge of the risks and harms associated with hazardous substances and waste and examines how the science-policy interface affects the diffusion of scientific information and scientific progress in general. The final report is consistent in many respects with the Society’s suggestions. For example, the report highlights outdated assumptions that no longer apply to chemicals such as EDCs, including that safe thresholds exist, or that males and females should be expected to respond in the same way following exposure.
Commission Initiates CLP Public Consultation
To achieve the goals of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability in relation to horizontal identification of EDCs and other substances, the existing regulation on the classification, labelling, and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures (CLP) will be amended. In August, the European Commission initiated a public consultation to inform potential revisions to EU CLP legislation; we will work with our member experts to develop a contribution to the consultation on behalf of the Society in advance of the 15 November deadline.
European Parliament’s Beating Cancer Committee
The Committee discussed with the European Commission on 9 September the EU Chemicals Strategy as a key component of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) considered that implementing the actions under the Chemicals Strategy will make it possible to reduce the exposure of consumers and professionals to hazardous chemicals that interfere with the endocrine and immune systems, which are associated with a range of cancers.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESOURCES ON EDCS
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ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS (EDCs)
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous chemicals or their mixtures that can interfere with any aspect of hormone action. EDCs such as bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS are found in food, toys, cosmetics, medicines, and plastics as well as throughout the environment. Scientific evidence has shown that exposure to EDCs has contributed to increases in the incidence of diseases including neurodevelopmental, reproductive, and metabolic disorders, as well as some cancers.
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Founded in 1916, the Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest international organization dedicated to research on endocrine science and the clinical treatment of patients with endocrine diseases. Our members include researchers and clinicians from over 120 countries, including all the member states of the European Union. Since 2013, the Endocrine Society has made improving regulation of EDCs a top priority and has been the leading voice of endocrine science in global policy efforts. We have hosted several briefings in the European Parliament and numerous meetings with Members of the European Parliament and Commission officials. The Endocrine Society supports effective translation of scientific knowledge on EDCs and their health effects to regulatory policies that protect consumers and improve regulatory testing strategies.
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ENDOCRINE SOCIETY
endocrine.org
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