WOMEN’S VOICES FOR THE EARTH~ HEALTH CARE WITHOUT HARM

For Immediate Release: December 9, 2002
Contact: Stacy Malkan 202-234-0091

SPERM DAMAGE LINKED TO PHTHALATE USED IN FRAGRANCES, NEW STUDY BY HARVARD RESEARCHERS FINDS

December 9, 2002: A new peer-reviewed study suggests that diethyl phthalate (DEP) – a chemical commonly used in fragrances and other grooming products – is damaging to the DNA of sperm in adult men at current levels of exposure. The study, posted today on the Environmental Health Perspectives website, was conducted by Dr. Susan Duty, a post-doctoral scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health; Russ Hauser, MD, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health; and others.
The study was conducted on adult males being evaluated in a fertility clinic, and found a correlation between damage to the DNA in sperm and DEP exposure at the levels already present in the men. DEP is widely used in many different kinds of products containing fragrances. Recent product tests found the chemical in every fragrance tested in the United States.

DEP is also the phthalate found in the highest levels in people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and confirmed by the new study. Previous studies have reported DNA damage from other phthalates in other cell types, but this is the first report of phthalate-associated DNA damage in human sperm at current exposure levels in the general population.

"The correlation found in this study is extremely troubling and deserves urgent follow up. The last thing you want is DNA damage to sperm, which can lead to infertility and may also be linked to miscarriages, and birth defects, infertility and cancer in offspring," said Dr. Ted Schettler, science director of the Science and Environmental Health Network.

"The link with DEP is also a concern because, until now, DEP has been considered one of the least toxic phthalates when examined in other ways. Since everyone in the general population is exposed to phthalates from a variety of sources, the results of this report, if confirmed and verified, identify a significant risk to public health," Dr. Schettler said.

The new study comes amid controversy over recent regulatory actions on phthalates and product tests that found the chemicals in most top-selling beauty products tested. On Nov. 7, the European Union agreed to ban two phthalates, DBP and DEHP, from cosmetics because the chemicals are considered reproductive toxins under EU law.

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On Nov. 19, the U.S. Cosmetics Ingredients Review panel failed to similarly protect Americans when it said phthalates are "safe as currently used," a ruling vigorously contested by health advocates and environmentalists who say the panel failed to conduct a thorough and credible study of the available scientific evidence.

"Chemicals linked to birth defects and infertility do not belong in fragrances, deodorants and other products we use every day," said Bryony Schwan, national campaigns director of Women’s Voices for the Earth. "We demand that cosmetics manufacturers act responsibly and immediately remove these unnecessary and risky chemicals from their products."

The sperm study can be found at http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2003/5756/abstract.pdf