Experts issue urgent call to action for new government policy targeting children's health issue: 'Inaction is no longer an option'
Medical experts are calling for stricter standards regarding synthetic manufactured chemicals that have been linked to numerous chronic diseases in children.
As News Medical reported, research by medical experts from the Consortium for Children's Environmental Health shed light on the stark increase in noncommunicable diseases in children over the past 50 years. Researchers believe childhood exposure to hazardous chemicals is behind many of these diseases, considering there's been a 50-fold increase in chemical production in the same period.
According to the public health researchers, whose paper was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, childhood cancers have increased by 35% in the last half-century. Male reproductive congenital disabilities have doubled, while pediatric asthma cases have tripled. Childhood obesity has nearly quadrupled, contributing to a significant uptick in Type 2 diabetes cases in both children and teens.
Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder are also on the rise, with one in 36 children being diagnosed as of 2020.
It's estimated that around 350,000 synthetic chemicals and plastics exist, but fewer than 20% have been tested for safety. Meanwhile, global chemical production is expected to increase by roughly 3% a year and could triple by 2050.
The researchers believe more aggressive chemical laws are urgently needed to protect children's health and reverse this worrisome trend.
"The evidence is so overwhelming and the effects of manufactured chemicals are so disruptive for children, that inaction is no longer an option," Daniele Mandrioli, a co-author of the research and director of the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center in Italy, told the Guardian.
Researchers pointed to "a large body of evidence" linking pediatric diseases to synthetic chemicals. For example, in one case, more than 10,000 babies were born with phocomelia — a rare birth defect — after their mothers had taken the sedative thalidomide.
This incident showed that hazardous chemicals can cross the placenta and led to amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which created stricter guidelines for the pharmaceutical industry. In turn, the Food and Drug Administration approved nearly 70% fewer drugs per year, showcasing how strong chemical laws are crucial to protect public health.
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While this shows what's possible with strong legislation, there are still far too many cracks in U.S. chemical laws. The paper explained that under the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has little authority to protect children from exposure to toxic chemicals. Loose regulations remove nearly all responsibility of chemical manufacturers to identify the potential danger of new or existing chemicals.
Lax chemical laws also threaten the environment, as chemicals that have not been tested properly can pollute waterways, soil, and the air. For example, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), one of the most pervasive environmental contaminants today, have been found virtually everywhere — from the Arctic Ocean to landfills in England.
The researchers called for a multifaceted approach to safeguarding people and the planet from dangerous chemicals. Stricter chemical laws requiring more rigorous testing, the establishment of a global chemicals treaty, and overhauling the chemical industry's carbon-based business model were some of the team's suggestions.
The FDA's recent ban on the food dye Red No. 3 — which has been linked to adverse health effects in children — shows that putting pressure on government officials and industries can lead to positive action.
To keep you and your family safe from toxins, consider using natural cleaning products, buying nonstick, PFAS-free cookware, and controlling pests without chemicals.
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In addition, two clinical studies of sintilimab have met their primary endpoints: Phase 2 study of sintilimab monotherapy as second-line treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Phase 3 study of sintilimab monotherapy as second-line treatment for squamous non-small cell lung cancer with disease progression following platinum-based chemotherapy; Statement: Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug(s)/indication(s). About HUTCHMED HUTCHMED (Nasdaq/AIM:HCM; HKEX:13) is an innovative, commercial-stage, biopharmaceutical company. It is committed to the discovery, global development and commercialization of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases. Since inception, HUTCHMED has focused on bringing drug candidates from in-house discovery to patients around the world, with its first three medicines marketed in China, the first of which is also approved around the world including in the US, Europe and Japan. For more information, please visit or follow us on LinkedIn. About Innovent Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to empower patients worldwide with affordable, high-quality biopharmaceuticals. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that target some of the most intractable diseases. Its pioneering therapies treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has launched 15 products in the market. It has 3 new drug applications under regulatory review, 4 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials and 15 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare companies, including Lilly, Sanofi, Incyte, LG Chem and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Guided by the motto, 'Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action,' Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn. Statement: (1) Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug (s)/indication(s). (2) Ramucirumab (Cyramza ® ) and Selpercatinib (Retsevmo ® ) and Pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca ® ) were developed by Eli Lilly and Company. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect HUTCHMED's current expectations regarding future events, including its expectations regarding the therapeutic potential of the fruquintinib and sintilimab combination for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and the further clinical development of the fruquintinib and sintilimab combination in this and other indications. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, assumptions regarding the sufficiency of clinical data to support NDA approval of the fruquintinib and sintilimab combination for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma in China, or other jurisdictions, its potential to gain expeditious approvals from regulatory authorities, the safety profile of fruquintinib, HUTCHMED's ability to fund, implement and complete its further clinical development and commercialization plans for the fruquintinib and sintilimab combination, and the timing of these events. In addition, as certain studies rely on the use of other drug products such as sintilimab as combination therapeutics with fruquintinib, such risks and uncertainties include assumptions regarding the safety, efficacy, supply and continued regulatory approval of these therapeutics. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. For further discussion of these and other risks, see HUTCHMED's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, on AIM and on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. HUTCHMED undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. Medical Information This press release contains information about products that may not be available in all countries, or may be available under different trademarks, for different indications, in different dosages, or in different strengths. Nothing contained herein should be considered a solicitation, promotion or advertisement for any prescription drugs including the ones under development. CONTACTS Investor Enquiries +852 2121 8200 / [email protected] Media Enquiries FTI Consulting – +44 20 3727 1030 / [email protected] Ben Atwell / Alex Shaw +44 7771 913 902 (Mobile) / +44 7779 545 055 (Mobile) Brunswick – Zhou Yi +852 9783 6894 (Mobile) / [email protected] Panmure Liberum Nominated Advisor and Joint Broker Atholl Tweedie / Freddy Crossley / Rupert Dearden +44 20 7886 2500 HSBC Joint Broker Simon Alexander / Alina Vaskina / Arnav Kapoor +44 20 7991 8888 Cavendish Joint Broker Geoff Nash / Nigel Birks +44 20 7220 0500 ____________________ 1 The Global Cancer Observatory, kidney cancer fact sheet. Accessed February 19, 2025. 2 The Global Cancer Observatory, China fact sheet. Accessed February 19, 2025. 3 Sun Q, et al. Discovery of fruquintinib, a potent and highly selective small molecule inhibitor of VEGFR 1, 2, 3 tyrosine kinases for cancer therapy. Cancer Biol Ther . 2014;15(12):1635-45. doi: 10.4161/15384047.2014.964087. 4 Xu H, et al. Fruquintinib Plus Sintilimab in Patients with Treatment‑Naïve and Previously Treated Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results from a Phase Ib/II Clinical Trial. Targeted Oncolog y. 2025; 20:113–125. 5 Wang J, et al . Durable blockade of PD-1 signaling links preclinical efficacy of sintilimab to its clinical benefit. mAbs 2019;11(8): 1443-1451. doi: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1654303. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
