Category: News Release

Unlocking environmental mysteries to cancer and endometriosis

~ PRHE

How do environmental chemicals and pollutants increase cancer risk for pregnant women and their children? And what are the environmental causes of endometriosis? We are proud to announce that PRHE’s scientists are part of two new major initiatives that hope to unlock mysteries to cancer and endometriosis. UCSF Discovering cancer Risks from Environmental contaminants And … Continue reading Unlocking environmental mysteries to cancer and endometriosis

World’s OBGYNs say climate crisis threatens human reproduction and urge action on fossil fuels

~ PRHE

The climate crisis has become a public health emergency that disproportionately affects pregnant people, children, those from disadvantaged and marginalised communities, and people of colour, including Black, Brown and Indigenous people. In a special article published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, leading obstetricians and gynaecologists (OBGYNs) highlight the impact of the climate … Continue reading World’s OBGYNs say climate crisis threatens human reproduction and urge action on fossil fuels

FIGO urges removal of PFAS use around the globe

~ PRHE ~ 2 Comments

Today, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued an opinion calling for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals to be restricted around the globe. PRHE has been working in partnership with FIGO and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) on efforts to interpret the science and inform ob-gyn patients about how chemicals impact pregnant … Continue reading FIGO urges removal of PFAS use around the globe

WHO and ILO finds working long hours one of the largest burdens of disease globally

~ PRHE ~ 1 Comment

People who work more than 55 hours/week are at significantly higher risk of heart disease and stroke than people who work the typical 35-40 hours/week, according to a Joint Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) which evaluated the evidence using the Navigation Guide systematic review method developed by the … Continue reading WHO and ILO finds working long hours one of the largest burdens of disease globally

PRHE finds evidence of 55 new chemicals in people

~ PRHE ~ 1 Comment

Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment's scientists used new technology to detect 109 chemicals in pregnant women and newborns, including 55 chemicals never before reported in people and 42 “mystery chemicals,” whose sources and uses are unknown. The study was published in the March 17, 2021, Environmental Science & Technology journal. The chemicals include … Continue reading PRHE finds evidence of 55 new chemicals in people

National Academies of Sciences issues scathing rebuke of EPA’s TSCA systematic review method

~ PRHE ~ 4 Comments

NAS Recommends EPA Adopt PRHE’s Navigation Guide and Other Scientifically Rigorous Methods to Evaluate Chemical Risks SAN FRANCISCO - UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment’s (PRHE) systematic review method called the Navigation Guide was recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Report, “The Use of Systematic Review in EPA’s … Continue reading National Academies of Sciences issues scathing rebuke of EPA’s TSCA systematic review method

How to prioritize science and health at EPA

~ Tracey Woodruff

Overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that exposure to chemicals and pollutants in our environment affects our health, increases risk of disease, and jeopardizes children’s development. Public policies determine what and how much we are exposed to and thus, how much our health is at risk. To protect public health, policies must be created using the best … Continue reading How to prioritize science and health at EPA

10 ways to avoid toxic chemicals

~ PRHE ~ 2 Comments

Versions of this post appear in both English and Spanish languages below. The science is clear: harmful chemicals in our environment put healthy pregnancies and fetal development at risk. To help health-care professionals and their patients better understand how chemicals affect health—and what they can do about it—UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment … Continue reading 10 ways to avoid toxic chemicals

How climate change and air pollution affect pregnancy and human development

~ PRHE

To recognize the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) has partnered with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) to produce a series of infographics for health professionals to communicate with their patients about the adverse impacts of climate change, … Continue reading How climate change and air pollution affect pregnancy and human development

House to EPA: Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science?

~ PRHE

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?