FDA Underestimated Cancer Risk from Seafood Contaminants

Strategic Insights -

A new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives reveals that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seriously underestimated the cancer risk from contaminants that can accumulate in seafood in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP oil spill disaster. The study, conducted by Miriam Rotkin-Ellman and Gina Solomon of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), found that the FDA used flawed assumptions and outdated risk assessment methods, allowing up to 10,000 times too much contamination and failing to identify risks for pregnant women and children. In response, NRDC has filed a petition asking the FDA to set a standard that limits the level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood, which are chemicals found in oil, industrial pollution, and urban run-off that can cause cancer, birth defects, neurological delays, and liver damage.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FDA used flawed assumptions and outdated risk assessment methods to estimate the cancer risk from contaminants in seafood, allowing up to 10,000 times too much contamination.
  • The FDA failed to identify risks for pregnant women and children, who are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of PAHs.
  • The study recommends that the FDA update its risk assessment methods to reflect current best practices and protect vulnerable populations.
  • NRDC has filed a petition asking the FDA to set a standard that limits the level of PAHs in seafood.
  • PAHs are found in oil, industrial pollution, and urban run-off and can cause cancer, birth defects, neurological delays, and liver damage.
  • The FDA's failure to properly assess the risks from seafood contaminants has serious implications for public health and safety.

Statistics:

  • Up to 10,000 times too much contamination was allowed by the FDA's flawed risk assessment methods.
  • Pregnant women and children are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of PAHs, which the FDA failed to identify.
  • 1 in every 100,000 people may develop cancer due to exposure to PAHs in seafood.
  • PAHs can cause cancer, birth defects, neurological delays, and liver damage.

Sources:

  • "Seafood Contamination After the BP Gulf Oil Spill and Risks to Vulnerable Populations: A Critique of the FDA Risk Assessment" by Miriam Rotkin-Ellman and Gina Solomon (http://dx.doi.org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1289/ehp.1103695 )
  • Switchboard blog by Miriam Rotkin-Ellman: "FDA's bad science: Agency allows contaminated seafood" (http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mrotkinellman/fdas_bad_science_agency_allows.html)
  • NRDC's legal petition requesting FDA to protect the public from PAHs: "FDA Petition for PAH Tolerance FINAL.pdf" (http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mrotkinellman/FDA_Petition_for_PAH_Tolerance_FINAL.pdf)