BPA bad for babies

Scientists lambasted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week, after a new study revealed that the federal agency ignored evidence that a chemical commonly used in plastic food and beverage containers is harmful.

The FDA’s assessment of Bisphenol A concluded that it is safe, but a panel of scientists counters the agency’s decision, reported the Washington Post.

BPA, which is used to harden plastic, has been linked by many studies to prostate cancer and diabetes, among other health problems in animals, says the report by government and academic scientists who recently completed an assessment of the toxin.

FDA ignored these studies, said the scientists, who also dinged the agency’s methods to test containers of infant formula, underscoring the concern that BPA is widely used in baby bottles and containers. Back in September, the National Toxicology Program reported concern that the chemical could affect the development of the brain in small children and infants.