Are PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Causing Thyroid Cancer?

Looking at the science behind the headlines

Pictured: Some PFAS, probably. Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

PFAS — the collective acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are something that we love to hate. They are a class of chemicals used in a lot of industrial applications, such as clothing and plastics, because they have a bunch of useful qualities. They are also increasingly the focus of epidemiological research, because there are concerns about whether PFAS could be causing a range of human health issues.

In addition, PFAS are somewhat worrying because they take a long time to break down in the environment. This has lead the media to dub them ‘forever chemicals’. And, according to recent headlines, these forever chemicals might be giving people thyroid cancer.

This was the first image that came up in a search for “thyroid”, which I guess is both technically correct and a bit confusing. Photo by Taylor Deas-Melesh on Unsplash

Fortunately for all of us, the link between PFAS and thyroid cancer is, at best, incredibly weak. While it’s not impossible that PFAS substances might be causing issues with your thyroid, the evidence thus far is unconvincing and probably not worth worrying about.

The Science