[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2236-E2237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE TAMPON SAFETY AND RESEARCH ACT OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 7, 1997

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce an 
important piece of women's health legislation--The Tampon Safety and 
Research Act of 1997. The research called for in this bipartisan bill 
will finally give women the accurate information they need to make 
informed decisions about their health as it relates to tampon use.
  Why is this issue important? Because tampons and other related 
products often contain additives, synthetic fibers, and dioxin. Dioxin 
is a toxic byproduct of the paper manufacturing process. Wood pulp, as 
well as the rayon used in nearly all tampons, undergoes several 
production processes; a common method is chlorine bleaching, a process 
which results in the formation of dioxin and other contaminants. As a 
result, trace amounts of dioxin is present in most paper products, from 
toilet paper to tampons.
  Dioxins are also found in varying levels throughout the environment, 
but are women being subjected to additional and potentially avoidable 
exposures to dioxin through tampon use? Let me put dioxin in 
perspective, because we only have to consult recent history to know of 
the potentially disastrous effects of this substance. Dioxin is a 
member of the organochlorine group, which includes the contaminants 
found in agent orange, the Vietnam war-era defoliant, and at Love 
Canal.
  But let's consult the experts, too. According to a 1994 report issued 
by the Environmental Protection Agency, dioxins are a known animal 
cancer-causing agent as well as a probable human carcinogen. My bill is 
specifically concerned with the possible links between dioxin in 
tampons and ovarian, cervical, and breast cancers, as well as other 
potential hazards.
  A 1996 EPA study has also linked dioxin exposure with increased risks 
for endometriosis, an often painful menstrual-related condition that is 
a leading cause of infertility. Further, the EPA has concluded that 
people with high exposure to dioxins may be at risk for other effects 
that could suppress the immune system, increase the risk of pelvic 
inflammatory disease, reduce fertility, and possibly interfere with 
normal fetal and childhood development.
  The EPA conclusions regarding dioxin exposure are particularly 
alarming in light of a 1989 Food and Drug Administration report, which 
stated that ``possible exposures from all other medical device sources 
would be dwarfed by the potential tampon exposure.'' Why? Because 
tampons are used by up to 70 percent of menstruating women in the 
United States, and the average woman may use as many as 11,400 tampons 
during her lifetime. If dioxin is putting women at risk, could the 
long-term use of tampons increase that risk?
  What makes these toxic residues in tampons even more disturbing is 
that they come in direct contact with some of the most absorbent tissue 
in a woman's body. According to Dr. Phillip Tierno, Jr., director of 
microbiology and immunology at New York University Medical Center, 
almost anything placed on this tissue--including dioxin--gets absorbed 
into the body.
  According to researchers, dioxin is stored in fatty tissue--just like 
that found in the vagina. And the fact is that women have more body fat 
than men, possibly allowing them to more efficiently store dioxins from 
all sources, not just tampons. Worse yet, the effects of dioxin are 
cumulative, and can be measured as much as 20 or 30 years after 
exposure. This accumulation is cause for particular concern, because a 
woman may be exposed to dioxin in tampons for approximately 40 years 
over the course of her reproductive life.
  The question, of course, is why it is acceptable to have this toxic 
substance in tampons--despite the advice of an FDA scientist to the 
contrary. A 1989 agency document reported that ``the most effective 
risk management strategy would be to assure that tampons, and menstrual 
pads for good measure, contain no dioxin.'' And why has there been far 
more testing on the possible health effects of chlorine-bleached coffee 
filters that on chlorine-

[[Page E2237]]

bleached tampons and related products? My bill seeks to address this 
inadequacy, and finally give women the most accurate, up-to-date 
information available regarding this critical health concern.

  Although the FDA currently requires tampon manufacturers to monitor 
dioxin levels in their finished products, the results are not availalbe 
to the public. When I--as a Member of Congress--requested the 
information, the FDA told me it was proprietary information and 
therefore could not be released. It should be noted that the dioxin 
tests relied upon by the FDA are done by the manufacturers themselves, 
who do not surprisingly insist their products are safe. Some of my 
constituents say this is the equivalent of the fox guarding the hen 
house.
  How much dioxin exposure is considered safe for humans? And does the 
fact that tampons are in direct contact with absorbent tissue, and for 
extended periods of time, make whatever levels of dioxin tampons 
possess even more dangerous? Is this the equivalent of a ticking time 
bomb, capable of increasing women's risks for several life-threatening 
or fertility-threatening diseases? Unfortunately there are no easy 
answers. We simply don't have instructive, persuasive evidence either 
way.
  Many experts believe, however, that if the slightest possibility 
exists that dioxin residues in tampons could harm women, the dioxin 
should simply be eliminated. I also believe we should err on the side 
of protecting women's health. Tampon manufacturers are not required to 
disclose ingredients to consumers, although many have taken the 
positive step of voluntarily disclosing this information. However, 
women are still being forced to take the word of the industry-sponsored 
research that their products are completely safe.
  My bill also addresses the many other potentially harmful additives 
in tampons, including chlorine compounds, absorbency enhancers, and 
synthetic fibers, as well as deodorants and fragrances. Most people are 
surprised to learn that these additives are commonly found in these 
products.
  We do not really know enough about the potential risks associated 
with such additives. Independent research has already shown that 
synthetic fiber additives in tampons amplify toxins, which are 
associated with toxic shock. Toxic shock syndrome is a rare bacterial 
illness that caused over 50 deaths between 1979 and 1980, when the link 
between tampons and toxic shock was first established. According to a 
1994 study, of the toxic shock cases occurring in menstruating women, 
up to 99 percent were using tampons. Obviously toxic shock syndrome is 
still a woman's health concern, and its link to tampons has become more 
clear.
  The fact is, women do not have the information they need to make 
sound decisions about their health. For the sake of women's well-being, 
we need accurate, independent information. American women have a right 
to know about any potential hazards associated with tampons and other 
related products. It is only when women fully understand the 
consequences that they can make truly informed decisions about their 
reproductive health.
  I also note that my bill is not the first time a Member of Congress 
has expressed concern about this issue. In 1992, the late 
Representative Ted Weiss of New York brought the issue up on a 
subcommittee hearing of the Committee on Government Operations. He did 
this after his staff had uncovered internal FDA documents which 
suggested the agency had not adequately investigated the danger of 
dioxin in tampons.
  My bill would direct the National Institutes of Health to conduct 
research to determine the extent to which the presence of dioxin, 
synthetic fibers, and other additives in tampons and related 
menstruation products pose any health risks to women. An NIH study, 
would mean that American women could depend on independent research, 
and not on the word of research funded by tampon manufacturers.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in this fight to get 
accurate health information to the women of America. Their future 
fertility, and perhaps their lives, may depend on it.

                          ____________________