FDA Schedules Baby Bottle Chemical Meeting

The FDA will schedule a meeting for next month regarding the plastic baby bottle controversy. While regulators say the bottles are safe, environmental groups say it can hurt children.

The controversy surrounds a chemical found in plastic baby bottles. FDA and European health regulators say the products are safe. However, environmental and consumer groups say the "bisphenol A" chemical can do harm to children and animals.

The FDA said on Friday that it will hold a public meeting next month about the safety of the baby bottles.

Recently, the National Toxicology Program published a report expressing concern that bisphenol A could cause behavorial problems in children and infants. The program is part of the government's National Institutes of Health.

The chemical is also known as BPA.

BPA is commonly used in plastic bottles. Common water bottles and the lining of most cans include the chemical.

Safety groups are concerned that the chemical can interfere with how the human body absorbs the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is important in child development.

The FDA meeting is scheduled for September 16. The public is invited.

The Food and Drug Administration has posted a statement that says further study on the safety of the chemicals are needed.

Canada is already moving to ban the chemical.