FDA to investigate impact of toxic metals in tampons

Sep 11

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

The Food and Drug Administration has launched an investigation into heavy metals in feminine care products. In July, Straight Arrow News reported on a study that found toxic metals like lead and arsenic in 30 tampons from 14 popular brands. That study is what launched this FDA probe.

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The study’s authors said only low levels of the metals were found in the organic and non-organic tampons they studied. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has said for decades there is no safe level of lead exposure.

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Researchers did not test whether the metals were released from the tampons when used, or if they could get into the bloodstream that way — so that’s what the FDA’s investigation will focus on.

Authors of the study say up to 80% of women in the U.S. use tampons, and in a letter asking the FDA for this study, the Democratic Women’s Caucus said each woman will use about 7,400. tampons over the course of their reproductive years.

The FDA has not yet said when it expects to release its findings from this study.

Tags: Environmental Protection Agency, FDA, Health, Health Care, Lead, Reproductive health, toxic chemicals, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Women’s Health

Karah Rucker

THE F-D-A HAS LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO HEAVY METALS IN FEMININE CARE PRODUCTS.

YOU MIGHT RECALL – IN JULY, WE TOLD YOU ABOUT A SMALL STUDY THAT FOUND TOXIC METALS LIKE LEAD AND ARSENIC IN 30 TAMPONS FROM 14 POPULAR BRANDS.

THAT STUDY IS WHAT LAUNCHED THIS F-D-A PROBE.

THE JULY STUDY’S AUTHORS SAID ONLY *LOW* LEVELS OF THE METALS WERE FOUND IN THE ORGANIC AND NON-ORGANIC TAMPONS THEY STUDIED…. BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS SAID FOR DECADES THERE IS *NO* SAFE LEVEL OF LEAD EXPOSURE.

THE JULY STUDY DID *NOT* TEST WHETHER THE METALS WERE RELEASED FROM THE TAMPONS WHEN USED OR IF THEY COULD GET INTO THE BLOODSTREAM THAT WAY – SO THAT’S WHAT THE F-D-A’S INVESTIGATION WILL FOCUS ON.

RESEARCHERS SAY UP TO 80 PERCENT OF WOMEN IN THE U-S USE TAMPONS… AND IN A LETTER ASKING THE F-D-A FOR THIS STUDY – THE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CAUCUS SAID EACH WOMAN WILL USE ABOUT 74-HUNDRED TAMPONS OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR REPRODUCTIVE YEARS.

THE F-D-A HAS NOT YET SAID *WHEN* IT EXPECTS TO RELEASE ITS FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY.