PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, substances also known as PFAS, can be found in our drinking water. In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed national standards to limit concentrations of six of these so-called forever chemicals that can linger in our blood years after they are consumed.
The chemicals have been linked to everything from cancer to liver disease. A major report in the New England Journal of Medicine raises concerns that there are not just six forever chemicals — there are thousands used in various industries with similar chemical structures.
According to a commentary in the journal, the question we need to ask is why not regulate all of these chemicals as a class rather than a handful at a time. This is an issue that is not going away — and we know the chemicals don't.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
