More than 30,000 International Endocrinologists Urge Brussels to Take Action on REACH Revision

On March 14, a broad coalition of over 30,000 European and international endocrine experts have called on EU legislators to publish the revised REACH proposal without any further delay, and no later than June 2023. 

Citing the urgent and immediate need to minimize exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in the interest of public health, the experts insist that flaws in the REACH regulation must be addressed without delay. EDCs are not a compromise area, and extending the current legislation is required to fulfil the mentioned objectives.

The petition was launched by the Endocrine Society, the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), and 42 European national and specialist endocrine societies. Together they represent the European and international endocrine research and clinical community. The petition has been submitted to the European Commission. 

The experts are extremely concerned that the current REACH regulation does not effectively address the numerous health impacts stemming from EDC exposure. The necessary steps to reduce exposure to hazardous EDCs and establish lasting protection for human health can only come in a revision of REACH itself. 

EDCs are not an area for compromise. An immediate and rigorous revision and extension to the current legislation is needed to effectively address the many current adverse health impacts. Any further delay is unacceptable.

In addition to the huge impact on human and ecological health, EDCs are also linked to massive economic costs borne by EU citizens: conservative estimates have linked EDC exposures to some €157 billion in additional healthcare costs and lost earnings. 

EDCs, which include bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS, among other chemicals in commerce, are pervasive and linked to serious adverse effects on endocrine systems leading to diseases such as infertility, diabetes, cancer, and altered neurological development. Health impacts from EDC exposures are widespread and cause suffering throughout the European Union.  Moreover, individuals such as pregnant women and children are uniquely susceptible to the effects of endocrine disruption, meaning that action now can prevent harm to current and future generations.