New FDA Study Finds No Developmental Effects from BPA

The FDA study was designed and adheres to new standards for scientific research on BPA exposure to assess neurobehavioral changes in animals.

Oct 6 2011 --- A new scientific study funded and conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds to the growing body of evidence showing that low doses of bisphenol A (BPA) do not cause developmental changes in test animals. The study examined rats for a number of developmental indicators, including behavior and hormone levels, and confirmed previous findings that BPA exposure does not have an effect.

“This latest work by FDA researchers confirms the findings of the best available science on early childhood exposures to BPA -- oral exposures do not alter development,” said Dr. John Rost, Chairman of the North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. (NAMPA). “Perhaps as important as the developmental findings is the confirmation that Sprague-Dawley rats are extremely sensitive to BPA,” continued Dr. Rost. “Studies using these rats have been criticized by some groups, despite the lack of science to support their claims. The study demonstrates that these rats are an appropriate test subject and previous findings are sound.”

The FDA study was designed and adheres to new standards for scientific research on BPA exposure to assess neurobehavioral changes in animals. During the course of the study, mothers and newborn rats were fed a diet rich in BPA. While several developmental endpoints previously tested were included, the landmark study also assessed neurobehavioral endpoints that had yet to be tested in the laboratory. Researchers reviewed birth and body weights and key developmental functions such as latency, hormonal change, and brain weights. The FDA scientists concluded that none were affected by BPA exposure.

This latest study joins with recent studies funded and performed by government agencies like FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that contribute to the science on the safety of BPA-based food packaging.