Children's Health

FDA Criticized Over Plastic Chemical

BPA Critics Urge Caution continued...

FDA officials said they have begun discussion with other scientific agencies, including the CDC, to continue studying potential health effects of the chemical. Members of the advisory panel declined comment following the hearing.

"We're just beginning," said Laura Tarantino, director of FDA's office of food additive safety. "The agency has made a commitment to look at this, and we're going to look at it carefully," she told reporters.

"We have not recommended that anyone change their habits or change their use of these products," Tarantino said.

Some groups recommend people avoid boiling baby bottles to sterilize them because of concerns that the heat releases more BPA. Many bottles are also marketed free of "polycarbonate" plastic, the kind containing BPA.

Several companies have begun shifting away from its use. Several retailers, including Wal-Mart, Toys 'R' Us, and Babies 'R' Us have backed away from baby bottles containing bisphenol A. Some manufacturers, such as reusable water-bottle maker Nalgene and baby bottle maker Playtex, are ditching bisphenol A in their products.