More Research Suggests Fetal Exposure as Origin of Disease

"A growing body of scientific research suggests that exposure to chemical toxicants in the womb can lead to chronic health problems, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, later in life. Although scientists agree that the evidence is compelling, many of them are frustrated because such data aren’t being used in regulatory decision-making and risk assessment.

To help bridge the gap between emerging scientific research and environmental-health regulatory decisions, a standing committee of the National Academies held a two-day workshop last month in Washington, D.C. The committee, along with a handful of invited toxicologists and risk assessors, debated whether predicting adult disease from in utero and postnatal indicators is ready for prime-time risk assessment."

Britt E. Erickson reports for Chemical & Engineering News November 8, 2010.