News Coverage
Mercury: FDA Warning Criticized; Maine Court Case Begins
Published March 5, 2002
By omitting tuna from its latest health advisory, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is failing to warn pregnant women about methyl mercury contamination, says the Environmental Working Group in a report released Friday. And in another mercury matter, environmentalists are suing in Maine to determine the source of pollution in the Penobscot River.
In its most recent Consumer Advisory -- issued in January 2001 and revised in March 2001 -- the FDA warns pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant to avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tile fish because of methyl mercury contamination. Mercury is toxic and has been linked to neurological damage and other health problems, especially in unborn children and infants. Although mercury was detected in other fish, the FDA says pregnant women can eat up to 12 ounces a week of fish not on the list, without health risks. The contamination was highest in the four listed fish. In its report, EWG says tuna should have been listed as a fish to avoid and that the FDA chose not to include it after privately meeting with tuna fish producers. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, EWG obtained notes from FDA-arranged "focus groups" that, EWG says, indicate that scientists supported including tuna as a fish that pregnant women should avoid eating. "We also found on the record transcripts of FDA scientists saying number one, that the standard we have in place now does not protect the fetus, and they said in order to truly protect the fetus we'd have to add tuna to the list," said Richard Wiles, senior vice president at EWG.
To view the rest of this article, please visit www.greenwire.com (subscription required).