Cancer-causing Property Of Teflon Leaves US Regulators Concerned

Regulators in the United States are worried about the cancer causing potential of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, which is widely used in making Teflon or non-stick cookware. The concern was triggered off after an independent review by a committee for the Environmental Protection Agency said that Teflon had likely cancer causing potential.

"The predominant panel view was that the descriptor 'likely to be carcinogenic' was more consistent with currently available data, while a few panel members reached the conclusion that the current evidence fails to exceed the descriptor 'suggestive,' of carcinogenicity," the panel had said in its report. The EPA's Science Advisory Board, which had asked for a review said that the finding was on expected lines. However, DuPont, which is the only manufacturer of Teflon in North America has been releasing ads asserting the safety of their product, "We disagree with the panel's recommendation on the cancer classification, and we continue to support the EPA's draft risk assessment," said Robert Rickard, DuPont’s director of health and environmental sciences. "This reflects recommended classification; what's more important is risk, and we are confident that PFOA does not pose a cancer risk to the general public." It is reported that PFOA can cause breast cancer, testicular cancer and colon cancer.