Swan Study Authors Note Results 'Not Straightforward'

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Acknowledging that their
results are "not straightforward," the authors of a new study published in the
International Journal of Andrology nevertheless attempt to link reduced
masculine play in boys, as reported by their mothers, to maternal exposure to
phthalates. The researchers, led by Dr. Shanna Swan, asked mothers who had
participated in a previous, and much publicized, study of phthalate exposure
to evaluate the play habits of their sons, aged 2 1/2 to 6 years old.

The mothers used a standard questionnaire - the Preschool Activities Inventory
(PSAI) - but the questions and the results were adjusted by Dr. Swan and her
colleagues to incorporate parental attitudes about male behavior. The authors
note that such adjustments "have not been used previously" in evaluating PSAI
results and "remain to be validated."

The study found an association between reduced masculine behavior and some,
but not all, metabolites of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl
phthalate (DEHP). Dr. Swan has previously reported sexual morphological
differences in these boys, as infants, but these findings have never been
replicated or verified by other researchers.

The following statement can be attributed to Steve Risotto, senior director,
phthalate esters, American Chemistry Council.

"This study shows once more that Dr. Swan uses unproven methods to compile
questionable data to reach conclusions that are consistent with her
well-publicized opinion, which is not based on the weight of the scientific
evidence surrounding the safety of phthalates. Dr. Swan's recognition that
the study results are 'not straightforward' is an understatement. The
researchers biased the results by using mothers from their previous study.
These mothers may have had much higher levels of concern about their young
boys' behavior, because Dr. Swan has repeatedly declared that phthalate
exposure is reason for alarm.

"It appears that the researchers selectively excluded data, eliminating
certain subjects from the analysis, in order to strengthen their conclusion.
Even the phraseology of the paper is more sensationalistic than scientific."

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SOURCE American Chemistry Council

Kathryn St. John of The American Chemistry Council, +1-703-741-5818, or
Kathryn_St.John@americanchemistry.com