It has become an article of faith among the ‘plastics are poisoning us’ posse that exposure to one or several members of the phthalate family can lead to abnormal genital development in babies. But now a major new study of children in New York state by researchers at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center has looked to see whether hypospadias rates have actually increased. The result?
Hypospadias rates have not changed in New York State from 1992 to 2005. Additionally advanced maternal age continues to be a risk factor for hypospadias. Combined with previous studies that demonstrate sperm counts are not declining, these data suggest that the testicular dysgenesis syndrome described in animal models may not be evident in humans.
Remember all those news stories warning that genital deformities may be caused by phthalates in cosmetics and plastic toys? So far, not a single mainstream media publication has reported on the new study.
