Bisphenol A, a chemical used in hard plastic water bottles, baby bottles and
canned food, has inspired the latest and loudest debate about bias in toxicity
research. Many scientific studies show it’s a powerful hormone-disruptor linked
to breast cancer, but studies funded by the chemical industry say it’s harmless.
This biased science is showing up in a report issued by the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences. Now the study director is positioned to either
ignore the money trail or apply a consistent, unbiased assessment of the
science.
More Americans are being exposed to record amounts of ionizing radiation,
according to a new study by the National Council on Radiation
Protection. The study also found that the number of CT scans, which expose
patients to more radiation than an X-ray, jumped from 3 million in 1980 to 62
million in 2006.
Ionizing radiation, whose sources include X-rays, CT scans and fluoroscopy, is
the best- and longest-established environmental cause of human breast cancer in
both women and men.
Radiologists urge patients and doctors to weigh the benefits and risks of each
scan or exam, and to keep a cumulative record of them. Patients should also look
for a facility accredited by the American College of Radiology, which adheres to
high safety and quality standards.
Read more from the New York Times »
Learn about the Breast Cancer Fund's efforts to make radiation safer
