News
Plastic garbage illustration
Petrochemical proliferation contributing to rise in health problems
March 06, 2024Press Release

A byproduct of fossil fuel production, petrochemicals are on the rise and exposures to these chemicals contribute to health problems, including cancer, according to an analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine, published March 6, 2024.

Dice that read PFAS on all sides
Exposure to PFAS chemicals doubles the odds of a prior cancer diagnosis in women
September 18, 2023Press Release
A new study shows a clear association between exposure to certain PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) and phenol (including BPA) chemicals and a previous cancer diagnosis in women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The study was conducted by researchers in NIEHS-funded P30 centers from UC San Francisco (UCSF), University of Southern California (USC), and University of Michigan.
Illustration of pregnant person meeting with doctor
PFAS and chemicals used in plastics associated with increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, UCSF researchers find
July 19, 2023Press Release
Chemicals used in plastic production and PFAS are widespread in Bay Area pregnant women and are associated with an increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and hypertension, according to UCSF researchers.
Confidential file in drawer
Makers of PFAS Chemicals Covered up the Dangers
June 01, 2023Press Release
Widely Used in Clothing, Household Products and Food, They Resist Breaking Down in the Environment
Microplastic fragments on dining plate
Microplastics can harm human health and existing national policy responses are inadequate, says first CalSPEC report
February 13, 2023Press Release

Scientists shed light on how microplastics in the environment are adversely impacting health and evaluated what governments have done to address the problem in the first report produced by the California State Policy Evidence Consortium (CalSPEC).

Survey word cloud
Poll: Voters Agree on Need for More Protections from Chemicals
October 11, 2022Press Release
American voters overwhelmingly say they want government and industry to ensure the products they buy are free of harmful chemicals, and they are willing to pay more for it, according to a national online survey commissioned by the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
Pregnant woman with clinician
Study of Pregnant Women Finds Increasing Chemical Exposure
UCSF NewsMay 09, 2022Press Release
A national study that enrolled a highly diverse group of pregnant women over 12 years found rising exposure to chemicals from plastics and pesticides that may be harmful to development.
Pregnant woman chopping vegetables
Dietary changes can reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, FIGO study shows
February 23, 2022Press Release
Avoiding food in plastic or cans, and avoiding fast foods are among the recommendations in a new study from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and improve pregnancy outcomes.
Construction worker cleaning off paint
Deaths Rising in Workers Using Methylene Chloride Paint Strippers
UCSF News & MediaApril 19, 2021Press Release

Researchers and physicians from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and UC San Francisco have found that deaths of workers using methylene chloride paint strippers are on the rise. The solvent is widely used in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives and sealants. 

Pregnant women sleeping on a bed
UCSF Study Finds Evidence of 55 Chemicals Never Before Reported in People
UCSF News & MediaMarch 16, 2021Press Release

Scientists at UC San Francisco have detected 109 chemicals in a study of pregnant women, including 55 chemicals never before reported in people and 42 “mystery chemicals,” whose sources and uses are unknown. 

National Academies of Sciences Issues Scathing Rebuke of EPA’s TSCA Systematic Review Method and Recommends EPA Adopt PRHE’s Navigation Guide and Other Scientifically Rigorous Methods to Evaluate Chemical Risks
February 16, 2021Press Release
UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment’s (PRHE) systematic review method called the Navigation Guide was recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Report, “The Use of Systematic Review in EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Risk Evaluations.”