ACOG Statement on Passage of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act

Washington, DC—Thomas Gellhaus, MD, President of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), released the following statement regarding the House and Senate passage of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act:

“The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) welcomes the passage of the bipartisan Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, legislation that modernizes the chemical safety and approval process and amends the decades old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). We particularly applaud important new protections to safeguard pregnant women, infants, and children from the harmful effects of toxic chemicals.

“As experts in women’s health, we are dedicated to advancing the health of our patients and improving health outcomes. We know that an important outcome of pregnancy is no longer just a healthy newborn, but a human being optimally programmed for health from infancy through old age. Robust scientific evidence has emerged since passage of TSCA almost 40 years ago demonstrating that preconception and prenatal environmental exposures can have a profound and lasting negative effects on life-long health.

“ACOG thanks Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and David Vitter (R-LA) for their leadership in championing our Nation’s health. However, we know that our work is not done, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that chemicals entering commerce are safe for women and families, consistent with ACOG’s principles for chemical safety reform.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College), a 501(c)(3) organization, is the nation’s leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of more than 57,000 members, The College strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women’s health care. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a 501(c)(6) organization, is its companion organization. www.acog.org