On Thursday, March 5, as part of the Endocrine Society’s media outreach, the Endocrine Society conducted a news conference at ENDO 2015 focusing on the latest science surrounding endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). During the news conference, Leonardo Trasande, MD, presented the results from a series of four publications released on the same day in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
The publications described the results of an economic analysis that found exposure to EDCs likely costs the European Union €157 billion ($209 billion) a year in actual healthcare expenses and lost earnings potential. The analysis, conducted by a group of leading experts in several fields, concluded that infertility and male reproductive dysfunctions, birth defects, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurobehavioral and learning disorders were among the conditions than can be attributed in part to exposure to EDCs. The €157 billion estimate is conservative and represents 1.23% of Europe’s gross domestic product (GDP). These costs may actually be as high as €270 billion ($359 billion), or 2% of GDP.
The results are particularly timely given that, at the time this article was written, the European Commission is conducting an impact assessment for EDCs. The impact assessment will weigh the health risks of exposure to EDCs, taking into account the latest science and input from public stakeholders, including the Endocrine Society. Importantly, the impact assessment will also include the anticipated economic costs of various regulatory approaches to EDCs. The new results presented by Trasande are, therefore, critically important to help the European Commission accurately assess the economic consequences of health impacts due to EDC exposures and balance this analysis against the anticipated costs of regulation.
To ensure that the results achieve maximum impact in the European Union, the Endocrine Society simulcast the news conference at a special event in Brussels, Belgium. As part of the event, Endocrine Society member Philippe Grandjean, MD, moderated an educational briefing for participants following the news conference. Participants included representatives from international non-governmental organizations, members of the media, and a representative from the European Commission. These highly attended events, coupled with a strategic media outreach plan, resulted in press coverage from a number of highprofile media outlets including BBC News, Le Monde, TIME magazine, the Weather Channel’s website, and National Geographic.
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