ESPE joins the European Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in a coordinated call on the EU 27 Member States to step up their ambition in tackling PFAS and other Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

The European and global endocrine community are disseminating an open letter to the EU27 Member States with the help of national paediatric and adult endocrine societies. The letter follows concerns that the EU is no longer on track to effectively ban Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) from our environment. Competitiveness and deregulation seem to be gaining the upper hand at the cost of health and environment.

The letter shared with all the EU27 Permanent Representations as well as several national ministries of health and/or environment urges the Member States to implement stricter measures as outlined in detail in the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, makes recommendations for the future REACH revision and outlines the high economic costs of inaction.

Existing peer-reviewed studies provide ample evidence for the association between child exposure to EDCs and the onset of numerous illnesses including endocrine cancer, obesity, disturbed timing of puberty, impaired fertility, neurodevelopment alterations and numerous rare diseases. Exposure is unavoidable and can take place through the placenta, breast milk, toys and plastic bottles as well as the floors babies crawl on.

ESPE will continue to bring the hazards of EDCs for children’s health and wellbeing to the attention of policymakers until there is a regulatory framework in place that effectively protects children from harmful exposure.