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Trasande, a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of the book Sicker, Fatter, Poorer, brings a unique blend of medical, environmental, policy, economics, and communications expertise to the topic. He emphasizes that environmental hazards remain largely overlooked in medical education. It wasn’t until his legislative fellowship with then-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton that he was inspired to investigate the widespread health consequences of endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics. “Only 1-2% of us know about endocrine-disrupting chemicals,” he says, “yet they affect 100% of us.”
Plastics leach chemicals — like PFAS, phthalates, and bisphenols — into the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. These substances disrupt hormones and are associated with a wide range of chronic diseases, including obesity, fertility issues, and cancer. Since the Endocrine Society’s first scientific report on this topic in 2009, the field has grown exponentially. “Sixteen years later and the field has exploded in knowledge on the breadth and depth of impacts,” Trasande says.
Laboratory medicine professionals are uniquely positioned to help address this crisis. With the U.S. National Academy of Sciences now recommending serum PFAS testing in populations with known water contamination, the demand for reliable biomonitoring is on the rise. “There is pent-up energy and demand for this kind of service,” he explains.
Just as lab medicine professionals played a pivotal role in addressing childhood lead exposure, they now have the opportunity to make the invisible visible when it comes to plastic-related toxins. Measuring these chemicals in blood could become a vital component of routine clinical care.
Reducing exposure to plastics can appear overwhelming, but Trasande will provide simple steps anyone can take that make a meaningful difference. Some solutions he’ll touch on include ditching canned, packaged, and processed foods; avoiding microwaving and dishwashing plastic containers; and choosing stainless steel or cast iron over non-stick cookware. Remarkably, these changes can yield measurable improvements in biomonitoring within days, in hormone regulation in weeks, and on chronic diseases in months.
Trasande, who is a pediatrician in addition to being an internationally known environmental health researcher and leader, continues to follow birth cohorts over time, looking at the early life impacts of these chemicals on human health. He’s also passionate about empowering the public through clear, accessible communication — a skill he’s honed through years of public engagement and scientific storytelling.
Ultimately, the takeaway is urgent but empowering: Plastics are harming our health, but science and clinical action can turn the tide. “It’s through a collaborative partnership that we can support and grow a field of environmental medicine,” he says. For lab professionals attending the session, it’s not just a chance to learn — it’s a call to lead.
