Can somebody PLEASE tell me what the FDA is smokin’?

We all know that plastics used in bottles and cans were recently implicated as very clear risk factors for infants and young children, but a new study that was published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that adults may also be at risk - big surprise.

While the health concern certainly gets me to think twice about using that Nalgene bottle, I have to say that my thoughts really do soar into the upper levels of outrage when I start to think about this. Why? Simple [RANT WARNING]:

In classic lassez-faire fashion, the FDA refuses to act upon continuing evidence that implicates bisphenol A (BPA) in our current health crisis. Essentially they are saying that the low doses of exposure are safe, so they don’t want to do anything about it - as usual. But do you think they are accounting for the cumulative effect of ingesting foods from multiple containers over the span of time, which is typical of the American processed food diet that I grew up eating? I doubt it. Consider my experience with years of overconsuming soda, which I mentioned in my article on high fructose corn syrup (On High Fructose Corn Syrup - and Weapons of Mass Destruction). I was drinking sometimes 4 or more cans of soda a day, all most likely lined with the stuff.

So the question becomes, what will kill me first - the HFCS and overall caloric intake of overconsumption, or the toxic plastics that leak into the soda? I’m kind of joking there, and well, kind of not. . .

Why the FDA continues to remain a staunch supporter of BPA in food is beyond me (because if you have the power to stop something, and you don’t, as far as I’m concerned that demonstrates your support), but, my suspicion is this: the telling factor was contained in a quote from an industry representative when asked about the situation. Here’s a quote from the article:

“Industry representatives argue that the plastic epoxy resins used to line cans will be particularly difficult to replace. “Acidic foods will corrode the metal of cans, so you have to have a coating in there; it’s the reason why canned tuna has a shelf-life of three to four years,” says Steven Hentges, a chemist and BPA expert with the American Chemistry Council, a trade group. “Finding an alternative liner that works as well and is safer would not be easy.”" - USNews.com

So what you’re saying is, we really won’t be able to sell as much product if we have to change our practices - and you wouldn’t want THAT, now would you???

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the naive impression that external political and economic factors were not supposed to be the top priorities for the FDA, but they clearly are. It is one reason why I actually rarely trust anything that comes out of the FDA anymore. There are too many fingers in the pie to trust the validity of their studies and edicts on what is safe and what is not. But you gotta’ admit: It is a great system if you are a manufacturer of food products - make your questionable product a political and economic conundrum, and you can count on the FDA to stay hands-off.

My apologies to let some of my cynicism slip out here, but folks, this is NOT the first time that the corporate citizen’s agenda has been prioritized over the health and welfare of the people to whom they sell their products. Realistically, I doubt that BPA is the sole cause of any of these diseases (I think overconsumption in general is a bigger target), but how many of these isolated “safe in low doses” chemicals does it take for the FDA to reform its lack of concern for the people it is supposed to protect? How many of these “safe in low doses” chemicals and fake food products have to be added to the American mainstream food chain before any of the politically appointed bureaucrats at the FDA grow a conscience?

And another thing: Why does much of the rest of the world get this right (Canada, for example, who banned BPA earlier this year), leaving each one of us American citizens to explain to non-citizens why the American government won’t do what’s right for it’s own people - even when it comes to infants? Oh that’s right - because Big Government is apparently more concerned with preserving corporate profits than human welfare. But that’s no surprise if you’ve been awake for the last decade.

And I have to say here, while I’m ranting, that this is not just at the Federal level. It’s State government too. Want an example? Here’s a quote from the results of the highly publicized campaign to ban BPA in California:

“SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 30 (AScribe Newswire) — Bowing to a deceptive, no-holds-barred campaign by the chemical industry, the California State Assembly has failed to approve a bill that would have made the state the first in the nation to remove the toxic endocrine disruptor BPA from baby bottles and children’s drinking cups.

By a 35-30 vote on Friday, the last day of the two-year legislative session, Assembly members rejected Senate Bill 1713 by Sen. Carole Migden of San Francisco, which was sponsored by Environmental Working Group (EWG). Fifteen members of the Assembly were either absent or deliberately did not vote.” - AScribe Newswire, care of highbeam.com

My question is this: What does it say about the state of things when even the consumer giants like Walmart and Toys-R-Us are willing to take action, but the Food and Drug Administration seems to have lost every pen in the house (”…well gall durn dang it, looks like we can’t sign the dotted line. You chemist fellas are in luck today!”)?

But ya know, maybe I misunderstood. See I was under the impression that the FDA’s slogan, “Protecting and Promoting Your Health [italics theirs, not mine]” was aimed at, ya know, ME. How self-centered. I guess I should have realized that the the Chemical Industry is the target. Good Job, FDA. They are alive, well, and getting better all the time.

[END RANT]

Here’s a link to the article on USNews.com.

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