Simon Nare
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said on Sunday that sanitary pads and panty-liners need not be withdrawn from the market after a University of the Free State (UFS) study found small quantities of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in tested samples.
He said at a press briefing that the findings did not prove clinical harm and did not support any change in how consumers use the products.
The UFS analytical chemistry study published on 25 February tested 16 sanitary pads and seven panty-liners bought online. Researchers detected small amounts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the samples, and said menstrual products may be a significant but often overlooked source of exposure to these chemicals.
Motsoaledi said the departments of Health and Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities had consulted scientists, clinicians, regulators and United Nations agencies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund, about the findings.
“The
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