FDA Has 'Some Concern' About BPA
In a reversal of its widely-criticized 2008 declaration that bisphenol A was safe, on January 15 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that the chemical warrants "some concern" for its potential effects on children's development. Though the FDA announcement is a milestone for advocates like the Breast Cancer Fund that seek to ban BPA, the agency's action is neither a ban nor a restriction on the hormone-disrupting chemical. Instead, the FDA supports manufacturers' efforts to remove BPA from products and find alternatives. The FDA stopped short of advising parents to discontinue use of bottles and cans that contain BPA, but did support recommendations to discard scratched BPA baby bottles and avoid putting hot liquids in the containers.

Washington Post: 'Reversing itself, FDA expresses concerns over health risks from BPA' » 

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Investigative Series on Radiation: Gross Negligence
A gripping new series by the New York Times reveals more Americans are receiving medical radiation than ever before, but not without consequences. Radiation exposure is the most widely accepted environmental cause of breast cancer, but can inflict other serious damage as well. The Times series chronicles software flaws, improper training of radiation technicians and other errors that lead to overradiation and missing the intended treatment area. In some cases, patients have died from injuries incurred from overradiation. According to the Times, no single agency oversees medical radiation, accidents are chronically underreported, many workers who have made mistakes during a patient's radiation therapy are still practicing, and, through a rather strict New York law, hospitals that report medical mistakes can have their identity shielded. Some strides have been made, including the Breast Cancer Fund's successful passage of a California radiation standards law in 2005, but we have far to go to ensure patients receive the lowest possible dose of radiation.

New York Times: 'Radiation offers new cures, and ways to do harm' »

Radiation and breast cancer »