The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has released a report that contradicts an earlier repot by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the safety of a chemical used in plastic baby bottles. The FDA had two weeks ago said the chemical Bisphenol-A was safe and could be used, while the report by the Department of Health and Human Services" National Toxicology Program, doesn't advocate banning  Bisphenol-A,  (BPA), but says that more research is needed in order to better understand how the chemical affects human health.

Bisphenol-A (BPA), makes plastic stronger and is used to seal food cans and prevent liquid leaking out of bottles. It is commonly used in baby bottles, water bottles, some food containers, CDs and dental sealants. The NTP used a five level scale with negligible concern and serious concern being on the extreme ends. BPA came in the category of “some concern” falling in the middle of the scale. The fears are that the chemical could cause changes in behavior and the brain, reduce survival and birth weight in babies and create prostate gland problems in children. The NTP also said there is "minimal concern" that BPA causes harm to reproductive organs in girls or people who work with the chemical.

The Centers for Disease Control says they have detected low levels of BPA in 93 percent of Americans who have been tested. Though critics and experts from NIH feel as all the studies till now have been carried out on animals and there is no way to know if what happened to animals can happen to humans as well.

Anila Jacobs, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington said, "I think that, when it comes to our children, even some level of concern is too high, and we should try to minimize exposures among our vulnerable populations.”

Though the FDA conducted some tests their results were not conclusive.  The American Chemistry Council however has defended the chemical's safety. A meeting in Rockville, Maryland is scheduled for Sept 16, for representatives from the FDA’s Science Board and those from The National Toxicology Program to discuss the issue.

Michael Shelby, director of the department's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction said, "More research is clearly needed to understand exactly how these findings relate to human health and development, but at this point we can't dismiss the possibility that the effects we're seeing in animals may occur in humans."

Stephen Hentges, a spokesman for the American Chemistry Council said, “When that information from NTP is considered by FDA -- along with additional information, for example, on human exposure – the FDA reaffirms that products containing Bisphenol A, products such as baby bottles and so on, are safe for use.”

Though many like the NIH feel more research is the answer, and the FDA is asking for public comment later this months, stores like Wal-Mart have taken the plunge and announced that they will stop selling baby bottles made with BPA.