For those readers of MassTortDefense interested in the issues surrounding BPA, the FDA has announced a meeting of its Bisphenol A (BPA) Subcommittee of the Science Board.

The topic to be discussed is the draft assessment of BPA for use in food contact applications. The Subcommittee will hear and discuss the draft assessment of BPA for use in food contact applications, including oral presentations from the public. The meeting will be held on September 16, 2008.

The FDA draft assessment report finds that the chemical does not pose a serious health risk under current uses. The new assessment was particularly focused on the concerns for developmental toxicity identified in recent assessments of BPA, including those of the National Toxicology Program and their expert panel, based on animal data. FDA concluded that this data was insufficient to merit a change in the exposure levels the agency currently allows for BPA. FDA concluded that an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses, for infants and adults. This assessment represents a full examination of data considered pivotal to the relevant exposure levels associated with food contact substances, the FDA said.