Experts issue urgent call to action for new government policy targeting children's health issue: 'Inaction is no longer an option'

Medical experts are calling for stricter standards regarding synthetic manufactured chemicals that have been linked to numerous chronic diseases in children. 

What's happening?

As News Medical reported, research by medical experts from the Consortium for Children's Environmental Health shed light on the stark increase in noncommunicable diseases in children over the past 50 years. Researchers believe childhood exposure to hazardous chemicals is behind many of these diseases, considering there's been a 50-fold increase in chemical production in the same period. 

According to the public health researchers, whose paper was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, childhood cancers have increased by 35% in the last half-century. Male reproductive congenital disabilities have doubled, while pediatric asthma cases have tripled. Childhood obesity has nearly quadrupled, contributing to a significant uptick in Type 2 diabetes cases in both children and teens. 

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder are also on the rise, with one in 36 children being diagnosed as of 2020. 

It's estimated that around 350,000 synthetic chemicals and plastics exist, but fewer than 20% have been tested for safety. Meanwhile, global chemical production is expected to increase by roughly 3% a year and could triple by 2050. 

The researchers believe more aggressive chemical laws are urgently needed to protect children's health and reverse this worrisome trend. 

"The evidence is so overwhelming and the effects of manufactured chemicals are so disruptive for children, that inaction is no longer an option," Daniele Mandrioli, a co-author of the research and director of the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center in Italy, told the Guardian.

Why are stronger chemical regulations important?

Researchers pointed to "a large body of evidence" linking pediatric diseases to synthetic chemicals. For example, in one case, more than 10,000 babies were born with phocomelia — a rare birth defect — after their mothers had taken the sedative thalidomide. 

This incident showed that hazardous chemicals can cross the placenta and led to amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which created stricter guidelines for the pharmaceutical industry. In turn, the Food and Drug Administration approved nearly 70% fewer drugs per year, showcasing how strong chemical laws are crucial to protect public health. 

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While this shows what's possible with strong legislation, there are still far too many cracks in U.S. chemical laws. The paper explained that under the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has little authority to protect children from exposure to toxic chemicals. Loose regulations remove nearly all responsibility of chemical manufacturers to identify the potential danger of new or existing chemicals. 

Lax chemical laws also threaten the environment, as chemicals that have not been tested properly can pollute waterways, soil, and the air. For example, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), one of the most pervasive environmental contaminants today, have been found virtually everywhere — from the Arctic Ocean to landfills in England. 

What's being done to protect children from chemicals?

The researchers called for a multifaceted approach to safeguarding people and the planet from dangerous chemicals. Stricter chemical laws requiring more rigorous testing, the establishment of a global chemicals treaty, and overhauling the chemical industry's carbon-based business model were some of the team's suggestions. 

The FDA's recent ban on the food dye Red No. 3 — which has been linked to adverse health effects in children — shows that putting pressure on government officials and industries can lead to positive action. 

To keep you and your family safe from toxins, consider using natural cleaning products, buying nonstick, PFAS-free cookware, and controlling pests without chemicals. 

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