Are the toxic metals in tampons harmful? FDA launches research to learn risk

The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it has begun a research project examining the possible effects of toxic metals in tampons and that it is launching an independent review.

A study published in July found a variety of metals, including arsenic, mercury and lead, in more than a dozen brands of tampons.

“Although toxic metals are ubiquitous and we are exposed to low levels at any given time, our study clearly shows that metals are also present in menstrual products, and that women might be at higher risk for exposure using these products,” study co-author Kathrin Schilling, an assistant professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, wrote in a news release. Researchers from UC Berkeley School of Public Health were also involved.

While the study detected metals, it couldn’t conclude whether their existence led to any harm in the women. But the need to fully understand that potential is great: Up to 80% of women in the U.S. use tampons during their periods, according to the researchers.

The news caught the attention of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, which sent a letter asking the FDA to take a closer look at the issue.

“Women use about 7,400 tampons over the course of their reproductive years, so the presence of potentially harmful metals and chemicals in these products is incredibly concerning,” caucus members wrote. “We urge the FDA to take swift action to ensure that women are safe from harmful and toxic substances in tampons.”

The FDA said its lab study will measure how much of the metals may be leached from tampons while they’re inside women’s bodies.

“These initiatives will enable the FDA to complete a risk assessment of metals contained in tampons, based on a worst-case scenario of metal exposure,” the agency wrote. In addition, a “comprehensive review of the published literature will provide a better understanding of the data currently available regarding the presence of chemicals in tampons and, importantly, any associated health effects of those chemicals.”

The FDA didn’t give a timeline to release its findings.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com