A perspective on the safety of cosmetic products: a position paper of the American Council on Science and Health

Over the years, some activist groups have targeted cosmetics as possible human health threats, claiming that cosmetic ingredients are not adequately tested for safety and may pose risks to consumers. The groups allege that industry practices related to safety testing are flawed, that there is little government oversight, and that cosmetics contain cancer-causing chemicals and other toxicants. A critical review of the scientific data related to these claims indicates the following: (1) Industry has the primary responsibility to ensure that all ingredients, preservatives, and coformulants used in products are safe for their intended uses. (2) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulatory oversight of the cosmetic industry. Its authority includes the banning or restriction of ingredients for safety reasons. (3) The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), an independent, scientific review board, critically evaluates chemical ingredients used in cosmetics and publishes the results of its findings in the peer-reviewed literature. (4) Health-related allegations about cosmetic ingredients are generally based on the results of high-dose laboratory testing in animals and have little relevance for humans. As true now as when Paracelsus said it in the 16th century, "It is the dose that makes the poison." (5) The health-related allegations involving specific chemicals (e.g., phthalates, parabens, and 1,3-butadiene) fail to consider important scientific studies and recent regulatory conclusions about these chemicals, which have found that they are not hazardous. (6) Animal and human physiology differ in crucial ways, further invalidating simplistic attempts to extrapolate rodent testing to human health risks. The cosmetic industry should be encouraged to publish more of its toxicity studies and safety evaluations, which would aid in dispelling the uncertainty that some consumers have about cosmetic safety.     

Association between arsenic exposure from drinking water and hematuria: Results from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study

Arsenic (As) exposure has been associated with both urologic malignancy and renal dysfunction; however, its association with hematuria is unknown. We evaluated the association between drinking water As exposure and hematuria in 7843 men enrolled in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data was conducted with As exposure assessed in both well water and urinary As measurements, while hematuria was measured using urine dipstick. Prospective analyses with Cox proportional regression models were based on urinary As and dipstick measurements obtained biannually since baseline up to six years. At baseline, urinary As was significantly related to prevalence of hematuria (P-trend < 0.01), with increasing quintiles of exposure corresponding with respective prevalence odds ratios of 1.00 (reference), 1.29 (95% CI: 1.04–1.59), 1.41 (95% CI: 1.15–1.74), 1.46 (95% CI: 1.19–1.79), and 1.56 (95% CI: 1.27–1.91). Compared to those with relatively little absolute urinary As change during follow-up (− 10.40 to 41.17 μg/l), hazard ratios for hematuria were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.80–1.22) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.65–0.99) for those whose urinary As decreased by > 47.49 μg/l and 10.87 to 47.49 μg/l since last visit, respectively, and 1.17 (95% CI: 0.94–1.45) and 1.36 (95% CI: 1.10–1.66) for those with between-visit increases of 10.40 to 41.17 μg/l and > 41.17 μg/l, respectively. These data indicate a positive association of As exposure with both prevalence and incidence of dipstick hematuria. This exposure effect appears modifiable by relatively short-term changes in drinking water As.     

Statin-associated muscle symptoms: position paper from the Luso-Latin American Consortium

In the last two decades, statin therapy has proved to be the most potent isolated therapy for attenuation of cardiovascular risk. Its frequent use has been seen as one of the most important elements for the reduction of cardiovascular mortality in developed countries. However, the recurrent incidence of muscle symptoms in statin users raised the possibility of causal association, leading to a disease entity known as statin associated muscle symptoms (SAMS). Mechanistic studies and clinical trials, specifically designed for the study of SAMS have allowed a deeper understanding of the natural history and accurate incidence. This set of information becomes essential to avoid an unnecessary risk of severe forms of SAMS. At the same time, this concrete understanding of SAMS prevents overdiagnosis and an inadequate suspension of one of the most powerful prevention strategies of our times. In this context, the Luso-Latin American Consortium gathered all available information on the subject and presents them in detail in this document as the basis for the identification and management of SAMS.     

Arsenic health risk assessment in drinking water and source apportionment using multivariate statistical techniques in Kohistan region,northern Pakistan

The present study was conducted in Kohistan region, where mafic and ultramafic rocks (Kohistan island arc and Indus suture zone) and metasedimentary rocks (Indian plate) are exposed. Water samples were collected from the springs, streams and Indus river and analyzed for physical parameters, anions, cations and arsenic (As³⁺, As⁵⁺ and arsenic total). The water quality in Kohistan region was evaluated by comparing the physio-chemical parameters with permissible limits set by Pakistan environmental protection agency and world health organization. Most of the studied parameters were found within their respective permissible limits. However in some samples, the iron and arsenic concentrations exceeded their permissible limits. For health risk assessment of arsenic, the average daily dose, hazards quotient (HQ) and cancer risk were calculated by using statistical formulas. The values of HQ were found >1 in the samples collected from Jabba, Dubair, while HQ values were <1 in rest of the samples. This level of contamination should have low chronic risk and medium cancer risk when compared with US EPA guidelines. Furthermore, the inter-dependence of physio-chemical parameters and pollution load was also calculated by using multivariate statistical techniques like one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, regression analysis, cluster analysis and principle component analysis.     

饮水的深度净化与健康

随着饮用水品种的逐渐增多 ,选择有益于健康的饮水品种引起了人们的广泛关注。本文从饮水深度净化产生的原因、深度净化饮水的种类及处理工艺、饮用水的化学成分与健康、饮用水的选择四个方面对饮水的深度净化与健康进行了简要分析 ,指出选择饮用水应根据地域、人群、年龄等具体情况综合分析而定。     

Response to the Distilled spirits Industry Council of Australia Inc. position paper 'Alcohol Availability'

A critique is offered of the Distilled Spirits Industry Council position paper 'Alcohol Availability'. It is argued that this position paper presents a simple-minded analysis of the complex relationship between the availability of alcohol and its consumption which pays no attention to the importance of price in determining consumption. As a consequence, it misconstrues the lessons to be drawn from the Victorian experiment in liberalization and fails to consider its implications for the incidence of alcohol related problems.     

Health effects from drinking: type, severity, and associated drinking patterns based on qualitative and quantitative questions in a methodological survey

The specific content of reported health harms are explored in relation to heavy episodic drinking and alcohol dependence symptoms. A national telephone computer-assisted interview of U.S. adults (N = 635), was conducted in 1994. A modified National Alcohol Survey instrument assessed self-reported health harms and related economic costs and work missed. Among the 579 lifetime drinkers, 26% reported health harms from drinking. In multivariate logistic regression harms relating to intoxication, injuries or internal organs were associated with monthly heavy drinking (5+ drinks) and past dependence symptoms. Study limitations are noted. Dependence symptoms should be assessed in screening for those most at risk for alcohol-related health harms.     

Smoking and Health: A Review Prepared by the Smoking and Health Subcommittee of the Tobacco Industries Council,A Council Formed by the Minister of Finance of Japan

This article introduces the economic approach to understanding and modeling substance use, including the economic implications of banning smoking in restaurants if the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes is complementary, and the impact of alternate drugs when they are substitutes for one another in economic terms. It also explains why economists who evaluate the effectiveness of antidrug misuse programs and policies prefer cost-benefit analysis to cost-effectiveness analysis generally used by public health researchers, despite the difficulty of defining and measuring the benefit of substance use to users. Answering this question may provide better approaches to deal with “substance use disease.”     

Concentrations and human health implications of toxic elements in drinking water of Sabzevar,Khorasan Razavi

Abstract

This study was conducted to determination the levels of ten toxic elements including Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni, Zn, B, Ba, Cu, Al, and Co in the samples of tap water collected from different areas of Sabzevar city and assessed the safety of drinking water with respect to selected elements. The study area is known for its mines and geology. Detection of heavy metal concentrations was performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The values corresponding to CDI and HRI of toxic elements were observed in the order of B?>?Cr?>?Zn?>?Ba?>?Cu?>?Al?>?Ni and B?>?Cu?>?Ba?>?Zn?>?Ni?>?Cr, respectively.     

Health risk assessment induced by chloroform content of the drinking water in Iran: systematic review

Long-term intake of water with high content of trihalomethanes (THMs) such as chloroform (CHCl₃) is hazardous for human health. Some studies have shown that clinical effects of THMs in drinking water may be yet observed to doses lower to standard limit. In our study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess both the mean concentration of CHCl₃ in Iranian drinking water and the relative health effects by long-term exposure to safe dose of CHCl₃ in the male and female age groups and in female categories. We applied the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for the evaluation of the noncarcinogenic risk of CHCl₃. Meta-analysis (14 studies) showed that the average concentration of CHCl₃ was 24?µg/l (95%CI:18.1–30.1?µg/l), I²?=?99.88, p?3 was related to Mashhad (3.5?±?0.5?µg/l) and Mazandaran (57.3?±?13.1?µg/l) province, respectively. The average concentration of CHCl₃ in the all studied provinces was lower than USEPA (70?µg/l) and national standard limits (200?µg/l). The minimum and maximum THQ was related to?<0.5 and 15–19?years age groups in both the males and females. The rank order of THQ in the female categories was females aging 15–44 (0.074)>?non-pregnant and non-lactating females age 4–15 (0.071)?>?pregnant (0.071)?>?lactating (0.043). The THQ in the females was higher than males, non-significantly (p?>.05). Except Mazandaran province, in other provinces both males and females, for all age groups, were not exposed to significant risks by non-carcinogenic exposure of CHCl₃ in drinking water (THQ <1).     

Subchronic toxicity of chloral hydrate on rats: a drinking water study

The subchronic toxicity of chloral hydrate, a disinfection byproduct, was studied in rats following 13 weeks of drinking water exposure. Male (262 +/- 10 g) and female (190 +/- 8 g) Sprague-Dawley rats, ten animals per group, were administered chloral hydrate via drinking water at 0.2, 2, 20 and 200 ppm. Control animals received distilled water only. Gross and microscopic examinations, serum chemistry, hematology, biochemical analysis, neurogenic amine analysis and serum trichloroacetic acid (TCA) analysis were performed at the end of the treatment period. Bronchoalveolar fluids were collected at necropsy and urine specimens were collected at weeks 2, 6 and 12 for biochemical analysis. No treatment-related changes in food and water intakes or body weight gains were observed. There were no significant changes in the weights of major organs. Except for a mild degree of vacuolation within the myelin sheath of the optic nerves in the highest dose males, there were no notable histological changes in the tissues examined. Statistically significant treatment-related effects were biochemical in nature, with the most pronounced being increased liver catalase activity in male rats starting at 2 ppm. Liver aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) was significantly depressed, whereas liver aniline hydroxylase activity was significantly elevated in both males and females receiving the highest dose. A dose-related increase in serum TCA was detected in both males and females starting at 2 ppm. An in vitro study of liver ALDH confirmed that chloral hydrate was a potent inhibitor, with an IC(50) of 8 micro M, whereas TCA was weakly inhibitory and trichloroethanol was without effect. Analysis of brain biogenic amines was conducted on a limited number (n = 5) of male rats in the control and high dose groups, and no significant treatment-related changes were detected. Taking into account the effect on the myelin sheath of male rats and the effects on liver ALDH and aniline hydroxylase of both males and females at the highest dose level, the no-observed-effect level (NOEL) was determined to be 20 ppm or 1.89 mg kg(-1) day(-1) in males and 2.53 mg kg(-1) day(-1) in females. This NOEL is ca. 1000-fold higher than the highest concentration of chloral hydrate reported in the municipal water supply.     

Country of origin, age of drinking onset, and drinking patterns among Mexican American young adults

This study examines relationships between country of origin, age of drinking onset, and adverse drinking outcomes among young adult Mexican Americans in the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Logistic regression models estimate associations between age of drinking onset, age of onset in relation to age at immigration, and adverse drinking outcomes, controlling for sex, age, employment, education, marital status, and income. Adjusted analyses indicate the odds of adverse drinking outcomes decreased as age of drinking onset increased. Mexican Americans who initiated drinking in Mexico had significantly lower odds of current or lifetime harmful drinking than U.S. born but the odds were not significantly different between foreign-born Mexican Americans who initiated drinking in the U.S. and U.S. born. Irrespective of whether drinking onset was in Mexico or the U.S., foreign-born Mexican Americans had lower odds of alcohol abuse than U.S. born. However, odds of dependence were not significantly different between foreign-born and U.S.-born Mexican Americans. While findings suggest that being foreign born may be protective, further research on social and cultural factors impacting drinking onset and related outcomes among young Mexican Americans may help inform prevention efforts.     

The drinking patterns of American and Polish university students: a cross-national study

A study of 3375 American and 1408 Polish university students was accomplished to test the hypotheses that cultural differences influence drinking patterns and beverage preferences between countries. Using the same questionnaire in both samples, the results revealed that significantly (P less than 0.001) more drinks per week were consumed by both Polish male (24.9) and female (15.2) students compared to American male (15.0) and female (7.6) students. Significantly (P less than 0.001) more wine was consumed by Polish (8.7) compared to the American (0.8) students. American female students consumed more beer than Polish female students. There was no difference between beer and spirits consumption between American and Polish males and Polish students in latter school years consumed more alcohol compared to students in the first years of school. It was concluded that the samples of students in this study reflected their cultures in terms of drinking patterns and beverage preference.     

A drinking water utility's perspective on bromide, bromate, and ozonation

Application of ozone in drinking water treatment plants in the US is growing because of ozone's multiple benefits. Ozone functions as a powerful oxidizing agent and disinfecting agent, it improves finished water quality by reducing turbidity, it reduces the formation of many halogenated disinfection by-products, and it is capable of treating chlorine resistant organisms like cryptosporidia. However, when bromide ion is present, e.g. from the geology, runoff, or sea water intrusion, ozone will convert some of the bromide to bromate depending upon the treatment reaction conditions. Bromate can also be introduced into drinking water as a contaminant in the chlorine used for disinfection. The current maximum contaminant level (MCL) in the USA is 0.010 mg/L, and the maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) is zero, because of the possibility that bromate may function as a genotoxic carcinogen. The level of the MCL, especially if it is lowered, will significantly impact the ability of many water suppliers to utilize ozone in their water treatment processes and also raise the costs of those applications.     

Trichloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and congenital heart defects: a critical analysis of the literature

The organic solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) is a metal degreasing agent and an intermediate in the production of fluorochemicals and polyvinyl chloride. TCE is also a common, persistent drinking water contaminant. Several epidemiological studies have alleged links between TCE exposure during pregnancy and offspring health problems including congenital heart defects (CHDs); however, the results of these studies are inconsistent, difficult to interpret, and involve several confounding factors. Similarly, the results of animal studies examining the potential of TCE to elicit cardiac anomalies have been inconsistent, and they have often been performed at doses far exceeding the highest levels ever reported in the drinking water. To determine what is known about the relationship between TCE and the incidence of CHDs, a comprehensive analysis of all available epidemiological data and animal studies was performed. Additionally, in vivo and in vitro studies examining possible mechanisms of action for TCE were evaluated. The specific types of heart defects alleged to have been caused by TCE in animal and human epidemiology studies were categorized by the morphogenetic process responsible for the defect in order to determine whether TCE might disrupt any specific developmental process. This analysis revealed that no single process was clearly affected by TCE, providing support that gestational TCE exposure does not increase the prevalence of CHDs. As a final evaluation, application of Hill's causality guidelines to the collective body of data revealed no indication of a causal link between gestational TCE exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations and CHDs.