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Sarah A. Vogel, PhD, MPH, MEM

At the time this article was written, Sarah A. Vogel was with the Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia, PA.

Correspondence: Correspondence can be sent to Sarah A. Vogel, Johnson Family Foundation, 315 W 36th St #440, New York, NY 10018 (e-mail: svogel{at}jffnd.org). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking on the "Reprints/Eprints" link.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical used in the production of plastics since the 1950s and a known endocrine disruptor, is a ubiquitous component of the material environment and human body. New research on very-low-dose exposure to BPA suggests an association with adverse health effects, including breast and prostate cancer, obesity, neurobehavioral problems, and reproductive abnormalities. These findings challenge the long-standing scientific and legal presumption of BPA's safety. The history of how BPA's safety was defined and defended provides critical insight into the questions now facing lawmakers and regulators: is BPA safe, and if not, what steps must be taken to protect the public's health? Answers to both questions involve reforms in chemical policy, with implications beyond BPA.