Chemical Watch has covered CHEM Trust’s comments at a scientific meeting to discuss the European Food Safety Authority’s draft opinion on the human health risks of Bisphenol A (BPA)
“The European Food Safety Authority’s (Efsa) draft opinion on the human health risks posed by bisphenol A (BPA) exposure is “lacking”, because its summary does not describe whether there is a margin of safety if reported effects in dismissed studies in fact turn out to be “real”. This was the message delivered by Gwynne Lyons, director of NGO ChemTrust, at a scientific meeting held by Efsa this week to discuss comments received during the public consultation on its assessment of BPA
…”To have a summary that doesn’t encapsulate any of the controversy surrounding BPA is not a good overview of the state of play at this point in time,” Ms Lyons told Chemical Watch. She recommends that the opinion should include a table to show the lowest dose levels reported to cause effects in animals, to allow comparisons with current exposures.
“Efsa was very interested, it seemed to be very keen to listen and quickly took on board the need for the summary to better show the uncertainties and perhaps take up the issue of whether or not there may be a margin of safety for some effects,” said Ms Lyons. “It accepts that there are uncertainties.”
CHEM Trust has already submitted written comments on EFSA’s draft opinion on Bisphenol A.