Endocrine disruptors: a learned society denounces the slow pace of European regulatory legislation

This is information that has gone unnoticed, and yet deserves attention. On the occasion of European Hormone Day, which took place on May 15, the French Society of Endocrinology has in a way “banged his fist on the table”, considering that Europe is not doing enough to protect its fellow citizens from the dangers of endocrine disruptors.

In a press release (Source 1), the learned society indicated that it demanded the immediate revision of the REACH regulation, the European Union regulation which aims to better protect human health and the environment against the risks linked to harmful chemical substances.

Recalling that endocrine disruptors (EDs) are everywhere (“food, water, air, plastics, cosmetics, pesticides, heavy metals…”), the French Society of Endocrinology regrets that “nothing limits our exposure” to these substances capable of disrupting our hormonal systems.

Emphasizing that “the only solution to guard against the harmful effects of EDs on human health is to make them disappear of our daily environment”, Nicolas Chevalier, endocrinologist at the University Hospital of Nice, believes that reducing exposure is not enough, in particular because PEs can harm us even in very small doses. “The general population must be able to recognize the sources of EDs and know their respective dangers. The implementation of labeling as provided for in the SNPE2 (national strategy on endocrine disruptors, 2nd version, editor’s note) is too slow and is the subject of too many counter-offensives from certain lobbies”, regrets the specialist.

Wanting things to move faster, the French Society of Endocrinology, associated with other European learned societies, is calling for the publication of a proposal for a revision of REACH. She asks “the application of concrete actions by adopting the recommendations of ANSES (National Health Security Agency, which has listed 906 substances with ED activity, editor’s note), in order to significantly and sustainably reduce exposure to EDs and therefore the health risks associated with them”, insists Anne Barlier, President of the French Society of Endocrinology.