Versions of this post appear in both English and Spanish languages below. Although phased out about 15 years ago, toxic flame-retardant chemicals, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), are still showing up in high levels among pregnant women and their fetuses in California, according to our study published on July 22, 2020, in Scientific Reports. In … Continue reading Yesterday’s flame retardants in today’s bodies
In 2016, after careful analysis, and extensive internal and external peer review, and public comment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded that inhalation of ethylene oxide is “carcinogenic to humans.” Despite no new evidence that would alter EPA’s findings, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) just finalized a dangerously flawed report claiming that … Continue reading Texas ignores dangers of ethylene oxide in flawed report
Water fluoridation has been cited as one of the dental field’s most successful interventions to improve dental health. Since 1945, when the United States implemented community water fluoridation, rates of cavities have declined. Also, providing fluoridated tap water to most residents, regardless of income, education, or socioeconomic status, can reduce disparities in dental health. Fluoride … Continue reading Fluoride exposure among pregnant women in California
The question is no longer whether environmental chemical exposures produce adverse health effects in children, but rather which chemicals have the most harmful impact. Fetuses and children are especially susceptible to environmental influences. Scientists and physicians are concerned that over the last 10-30 years, the prevalence of certain childhood diseases has increased, including adverse birth … Continue reading So many chemicals—how do we decide which ones to study?
La importancia de la intencionalidad al incluir poblaciones subrepresentadas en investigaciónes clínicas Las versiones de este post aparecen en Español e Inglés a continuación. The importance of intentionality when including underrepresented populations in clinical research Versions of this post appear in both Spanish and English languages below. Coordinadores de estudios investigativos tienen un papel importante … Continue reading Bridging communities and science
There are an infinite number of ways that the environment affects health, from endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our food supply to warming temperatures driving infectious diseases to new territories. It can feel overwhelming to consider a patient’s environmental exposures during a 20-minute visit, while still learning the basic anatomy of the human body. As medical students … Continue reading UCSF medical students to deans: Prepare us for climate change and environmental hazards
The House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology (House Science Committee) is holding a hearing on “Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science? The Future of Science in EPA Rulemaking.” Dr. Tracey Woodruff, Professor and Director at the University of California, San Francisco Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, gave this statement: After EPA released its widely unpopular … Continue reading House to EPA: Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science?
I know something about ethylene oxide. During my time at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), I spent over 10 years on the team developing EPA’s cancer assessment of ethylene oxide, and for the last 5 of those years I was the project manager for the assessment. Published in 2016, after careful analysis and extensive … Continue reading Texas underestimates cancer risks of ethylene oxide
Replacement flame retardants present serious risks, caution scientists New flame retardants escaping from our TVs and children’s car seats are just as toxic as the flame retardants they’re intended to replace, according to a peer-reviewed study published today in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The authors found that the replacement chemicals, called organophosphate flame retardants, … Continue reading New flame retardants, old problems
People trust doctors, such as their pediatricians and obstetricians/ gynecologists (OB/Gyns), to give them important health information about their pregnancy and children. But by and large, pediatricians and OB/Gyns nationwide are not doing their part to protect children from toxic environmental chemicals that increase risks of cancer, endocrine disruption, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and lower … Continue reading Bringing the environment into the clinic
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