CA legislature passes bill to protect against toxic heavy metals in prenatal vitamins

Last week, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 646, the first law in the nation to require testing and public disclosure of toxic heavy metals in prenatal supplements. This landmark bill will protect maternal and fetal health by requiring manufacturers to test for and disclose levels of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead-substances that can impair neurodevelopment and cause other serious harms.

Health authorities, physicians, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest all recommend that people who are pregnant take prenatal supplements to prevent birth defects and support healthy development, but studies have found alarming levels of lead and cadmium in many prenatal vitamins, with some exceeding California's Proposition 65 safety limits.

California has led the way in holding industry accountable and protecting children from heavy metals with a 2023 law requiring testing for baby food. SB 646 builds on that model to strengthen protections, improve transparency, and increase accountability.

We commend California legislators for passing this important bill andurge Governor Gavin Newsom to sign SB 646 into law.

However, this problem is not confined to California. There are currently no federal regulations to limit heavy metal contamination in baby food or prenatal vitamins, leaving millions of families unprotected. We call on Congress and the FDA to follow California's lead and ensure baby food and prenatal supplements are safe nationwide.

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Note: Read CSPI's letter of support for SB 646 here.

Topics

• Supplements