Main takeaways: Sea level rise is raising risks of harmful chemical exposures in shoreline communities like Richmond, CA These risks are falling disproportionately on communities already hard hit by contamination and pollution One of those risks is increase in exposure to VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which enter buildings and can increase cancer risk The Richmond … Continue reading Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
A team of PRHE scientists will share their latest research on how plastic-related chemicals, pesticides, and chemicals in antimicrobials and clothing are affecting pregnancy and child development. What lesser-known chemicals are affecting pregnancy? Which toxic chemicals are linked to miscarriage and gestational diabetes? What combinations of toxic chemicals and social stressors are harming children’s neurodevelopment? … Continue reading PRHE at ISEE 2025: The newest science on how toxic ...| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Main takeaways: Sea level rise is raising risks of harmful chemical exposures in shoreline communities like Richmond, CA These risks are falling disproportionately on communities already hard hit by contamination and pollution One of those risks is increase in exposure to VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which enter buildings and can increase cancer risk The Richmond … Continue reading Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Plastics are made of more than 16,000 chemicals, mostly derived from oil and gas. Over 4,200 are known to be hazardous, while the toxicity of the majority of the remaining is unknown. – “Negotiating the plastics treaty to protect health and the environment” Main takeaways: The United Nations (UN) is in the process of negotiating … Continue reading Scientists urge plastics treaty negotiators to prioritize health| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Exposure to chemical dyes found in textiles increases the risk of gestational diabetes, especially among pregnant women carrying male fetuses, according to researchers at UC San Francisco. The study is also one of the first to find that racial discrimination increases risk of gestational diabetes. People can be exposed to aromatic amines, which are found … Continue reading Exposure to chemical dyes in clothing increases risk of gestational diabetes The post Exposure to chemical dyes in clot...| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Dr. Rashmi Joglekar, Associate Director of Science, Policy and Engagement at the Program on Reproductive Health at UCSF, issued the following statement today. On Monday, the Trump administration announced plans to stymie implementation of the EPA’s long-awaited ban on asbestos by threatening to delay and reopen the rule for reconsideration in a process that could … Continue reading Trump’s proposed asbestos rollback is a warning sign for all toxic chemicals| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Causes of gliomas, the most common type of deadly brain tumor, remain a mystery despite improvements in understanding glioma risks. Firefighters have a higher rate of these cancerous tumors, so we explored how exposure to haloalkanes, chemicals present in a number of widely used products including flame retardants, some fire extinguishants, solvents and pesticides, might … Continue reading Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors The post C...| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
In Brief: EPA is proposing to roll back established protection from PFAS in drinking water. Furthermore, some lawmakers seek immunity for PFAS polluters. This double whammy to environmental protections will result in increased exposure to PFAS and higher rates of adverse health effects. This is contrary to the MAHA goals for reducing and preventing chronic … Continue reading Toxic Recipe: EPA rollbacks, immunity for polluters, and increasing threats to public health| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Dr. Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, professor and director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment and the Center to End Corporate Harm at UCSF issued the following statement upon release of the Make America Healthy Again Commission report. We welcome the MAHA Commission report’s recognition that toxic chemicals and corporate influence on science … Continue reading Statement on Make America Healthy Again Commission report The post Statement on Make America Healthy Again Commiss...| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
At a shadow hearing held by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which conducts oversight of EPA, Dr. Tracey Woodruff testified that while most people have never heard of EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) or the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), these programs provide vital and necessary information and serve as the … Continue reading Dr. Woodruff testifies on threats to ORD and IRIS at Congressional shadow hearing The post Dr. Woodruff testifies on thr...| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Despite decades of scientific research and evaluation linking phthalates to male reproductive harm and infertility, these chemicals remain largely unregulated in the United States. There is little indication this will change based on EPA’s recent draft risk evaluation of dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), which relies on flawed scientific methods that significantly underestimate health risks. So, PRHE … Continue reading We did the math. EPA’s calculations of male reproductive harm from DCHP...| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
EPA has taken many important steps toward protecting people from harmful chemicals in recent years, but a disturbing pattern has emerged in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention in which EPA uses flawed and outdated science to estimate risk to human health. In doing so, EPA is taking several steps backwards in protecting … Continue reading EPA is going down a dangerous path on toxic chemicals| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
One of the first researchers supported by the EaRTH Center was Kimberly Badal, PhD, a scientist originally focused on infectious disease research, but after discovering the high burden of cancer in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago, she changed course. Part of her research now focuses on creating better models that can predict a … Continue reading Exploring how the environment impacts breast cancer risk| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
EPA’s recent draft risk evaluation of formaldehyde is a concerning new direction in the Agency’s implementation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, with people routinely exposed through its use in composite wood products, plastics, paints, adhesives, and sealants. While EPA’s recent risk evaluation does find that formaldehyde presents an … Continue reading Why is EPA disregarding health risks of formaldehyde?| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
Using a new method to test chemical toxicity, UC San Francisco (UCSF) scientists have revealed a growing list of chemicals that could cause reproductive harm, including infertility. “With infertility a growing problem around the globe, it is important to find better strategies to discover the root causes,” said Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, director of the … Continue reading UC San Francisco scientists develop new method using yeast to find chemicals that cause infertility| Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment
