“Forever chemicals” are unavoidable and found in everyday consumer products. They have even infiltrated our natural resources, including our drinking water, triggering concern about the dangers they may pose to human health.
A new U.S. Geological Survey study shows that nearly half of the tap water in the United States contains forever chemicals, or PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Read more about forever chemicals and potential effects on pregnancy.
Ned Calonge, MD, MPH, associate dean for public health practice and clinical teaching professor at the Colorado School of Public Health, sits on and chairs a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) committee that recently published Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing and Clinical Follow-Up.
In the following Q&A, Calonge answers common questions regarding forever chemicals in drinking water.