Bisphenol A : how media and special interest groups influenced the ban on BPA

Abstract

Recently, there has been great dispute about the effects of bisphenol A (herein referred to as BPA) leaching into baby bottles. This led to Canada being the first country to ban BPA in baby bottles in April of 2008 (CBC, 2008). This decision elicited criticism from the USA Food and Drug and Administration (FDA) but according to Health Ministry Tony Clement, “it is better to be safe than sorry” (CBC, 2008). It is this uncertainty of the effects due to the exposure of BPA that has fueled an interest for the topic of this paper. The purpose of this paper is to do a policy analysis in regards to BPA and the effects of industry sponsored research, specialty groups and the role of the media (newsprint). The next section of this paper looks at the methodology employed to identify sources, followed by a detailed look at how policy analysis is conducted in Canada and the key research findings on BPA from special interest groups coupled with the role that the media played in the decision to ban BPA in Canada. The last section describes the relevance and implications of the role played by these sources in public health and the future significance that these findings will have on public health practice, policy and research.