On Thursday, September 12, the Endocrine Society participated in the Coalition for Health Funding Public Health Fair on Capitol Hill.
The fair has become an exciting annual event in which members of the public health community help demonstrate the reach of public health and the need for continued federal funding. Our goals during the fair were to share the research our members conduct on how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in cosmetics and other consumer products can be linked to human health harms; how people can avoid exposure to harmful EDCs; and the importance of funding to continue research. We also partnered with Beautycounter, a company that is committed to advancing safer skin care and cleaner cosmetics that avoid EDCs, to show how brands can make their products safer by removing harmful ingredients.
Numerous congressional staff and representatives from other public health agencies visited our booth and wanted to learn more about EDCs in cosmetics and other personal care products and what they could do to reduce their exposures. They also had the opportunity to try and sample products supplied by Beautycounter. The booth was a great way to increase the visibility of endocrinology, endocrine-related research, and the Society on Capitol Hill.
As we met with attendees, we shared our science-backed information on EDCs and urged staff to support the Personal Care Products Safety Act (PCPSA) introduced earlier this year by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME). The PCPSA would give the FDA additional necessary authority to review chemicals in personal care products and regulate harmful chemicals when necessary to protect public health. The Endocrine Society has been a vocal advocate for the PCPSA, which also calls for the FDA to review several chemicals that are known to have endocrine-disrupting properties as part of its initial chemical reviews under the new law.
Photos: Larry Wesley Photography
Loading ...