FDA to investigate impact of toxic metals in tampons

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.