Progesterone Cream and California Prop. 65

What is Proposition 65?
In the State of California and only in the State of California, Proposition 65, the “Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Act of 1986”, was enacted as a ballot initiative in November 1986. The Proposition was intended by its authors to protect California citizens and the State's drinking water sources from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and to inform citizens about exposures to such chemicals.

Proposition 65 requires the Governor of California to publish, at least annually, a list of chemicals determined by the state of California to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment or OEHHA, has the list published on their web site at http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65.html

Any product available in the State of California that contains an item from the list on proposition 65 is required by the State of California to carry a warning.

Why is Natural Progesterone listed on Proposition 65?
The OEHHA reviewed a series of animal studies that used progestins (synthetic progesterone) and natural progesterone (bio-identical progesterone). The greater percentage of the studies were with progestins and natural progesterone combined with synthetic estrogens. The administered doses of natural progesterone were up to 1000 times that found in natural progesterone creams and were either injected, oral or suppository. Just a few of the studies used natural progesterone exclusively and not one of the studies used a natural progesterone cream. Based on this review, the State of California made the decision to add natural progesterone (bio-identical) to proposition 65. California is the only state that has made this decision and no other State supports proposition 65. In the past, many decisions like this have been reversed and the item was removed from proposition 65 in what California refers to as being “Delisted”.

What does this mean for Natural Progesterone Cream in California?
Though all the experts on natural progesterone creams soundly disagree with the decision by California, BioCentric Laboratories is required to label natural progesterone products being shipped to California with “WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer”. Our Manufacturers are in full compliance and will remain in compliance with these requirements until natural progesterone is Delisted from proposition 65.