To follow up with a story we covered in last week's blog Antibacterial Agent Triclosan Under FDA Review, check out this video from CNN, Concern Over Anti-Bacterial Products. Here are some highlights from the interview with Dr. Sarah Janssen of the Natural Resources Defense Council:
- ‘[Triclosan and its cousin tricloban] don't do any better than regular soap and water. Our concern is that they are actually interfering with hormones in the human system, in particular thyroid hormones and sex hormones. In addition, they could be promoting drug-resistant bacteria in the environment’ (Dr. Sarah Janssen).
- Animal studies demonstrate that triclosan interferes with thyroid hormones and testosterone. Longterm effects include behavioral changes, learning abnormalities, and longterm effects on reproductive health, including infertility.
- Tricloban boosts sex hormones, which is of concern for those with hormone-dependent cancers like breast cancer and prostate cancer.
- Animals share the same hormone systems that humans have.
- Seventy-five percent of liquid soaps contain these chemicals.
- Canada, the EU, Norway, Germany, and Japan have all taken steps to remove these chemicals in food-related products and cosmetics.
- To avoid triclosan and tricloban, read product labels and don't buy items that contain these chemicals.
- ‘We have enough data now to be concerned. The FDA has been evaluating the safety of these chemicals in personal care products for over thirty years and they've essentially given them a pass because they haven't finalized any regulations of them, which means they've been allowed to be in our products without any regulation. It's time to reign in pull these products off the shelves’ (Dr. Sarah Janssen).