The clothes you wear when you work out may do you more harm than helping you to stay healthy as you hit the gym. This is because research has revealed alarming levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical compound linked to significant health risks in several sports wear, including sports bra, leggings, and athletic wear. The Center for Environmental Health (CEH), which is a nonprofit consumer advocacy group has brought these concerns to light, and have raised awareness about the potential danger and damage these sports wear can cause because of the common chemicals used.

What is BPA? Is it concerning?

Bisphenol A, or BPA is a chemical that is used to make plastics and resins. It is also used in certain fabrics and is known for its endocrine-disrupting properties, which can also interfere with one's hormonal balance. There have been studies, including a 2019 study titled The adverse health effects of bisphenol A and related toxicity mechanisms that have linked BPA exposure to various health problems, including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and even cancer.

Many of research which have been conducted focus on the ingestion, which can happen when you store food in BPA-lined containers. Among them, some of the more recent studies show that skin absorption is also a pathway. This means when you are handling receipts which are printed on thermal paper, or wear BPA-containing fabrics, the chemical can seep through your skin and enter your bloodstream.

Though it is also true that BPA is exposed from the body within days, however, continuous exposure from multiple sources can be concerning.

Sports Wear and the harm it may cause you

CEH also tested popular athletic wear in October 2023 and found BPA levels were exceeding California's safety standards by as much as 22 times.

Testing also showed that top brands contained up to 40 times the permissible limit of BPA.

What do the laws say?

As far as laws are concerned, under California's Proposition 65, the maximum allowable dose for BPA exposure via skin is 3 micrograms per day. While this law is among the strictest in the United States, it highlights a broader issue of chemical safety in consumer products nationwide.

Ana Soto, an immunologist with decades of research on BPA, even low doses of dermal and oral exposure can combine to create a significant health risk. She also warned that prolonged exposure through fabric, especially when you are exercising, as your pores are open and sweat is present, can in fact, amplify these effects.

How does BPA affect your health?

BPA can disrupt your body's endocrine system, which is a network of glands and organs that produce hormones that control many bodily functions. These include growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction, to name a few. BPA can mimic natural hormones like estrogen and interfere in those bodily functions.

Studies also link it with obesity and diabetes, respiratory issues, especially asthma risk in school-aged children, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer risks.

How can you be safe?

There are certain steps you can follow to protect yourself:

• Avoid wearing BPA-lined sports-wear
• Change immediately after your workout
• Do not wear sports-wear for an elongated period

In a major development for cancer care in India, Swiss pharmaceutical major Roche Pharma has launched Tecentriq SC, the country’s first subcutaneous (under-the-skin) immunotherapy for lung cancer that can be administered in approximately seven minutes.

While conventional intravenous (IV) infusions can take hours, Tecentriq SC can significantly improve the cancer treatment experience by reducing treatment time by nearly 80 per cent.

The seven-minute injectable immunotherapy has the potential to:

• Treat up to five patients in the time taken to treat one patient through intravenous infusion
• Help optimise healthcare resources
• Lower indirect treatment costs
• Minimise the need for patients to travel long distances
• Reduce the amount of time caregivers spend in hospitals

“With Tecentriq SC, we are bringing an innovation that meaningfully reduces treatment time while maintaining the established efficacy and safety profile of Tecentriq. We believe such advances can play an important role in enabling more patient-centric and future-ready cancer care delivery in India,” said Roche Pharma India Chief Medical Officer Dr Sivabalan Sivanesan, in a statement.

What Is Tecentriq SC? What's The Cost In India?

Tecentriq SC is the first and only PD-(L)1 inhibitor globally with both intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) formulations across multiple cancers.

First approved by the UK MHRA in 2023 and subsequently by the USFDA in 2024, Tecentriq SC is now approved in more than 85 countries, with over 10,000 patients benefitting globally.

In India, Tecentriq SC is currently approved by the DCGI for adjuvant and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is the most common form, making up about 80–85% of all cases.

According to Sivanesan, the drug is priced at about "Rs 3.7 lakh per vial".

Also read: India Gets Its First Alzheimer’s Drug: Know All About Eli Lilly’s Lormalzi

How Does Tecentriq SC Work?

Tecentriq SC combines Tecentriq with Halozyme Therapeutics’ Enhanze drug delivery technology.

The technology uses recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20), an enzyme that temporarily increases permeability in the subcutaneous space, enabling rapid dispersion and absorption of the medicine into the bloodstream, the company said.

How Tecentriq SC will Boost Cancer Care In India

The launch of Tecentriq SC also aligns with the broader shift toward decentralised cancer care in India. Shorter administration formats can free up hospital beds, healthcare staff time, and oncology resources at tertiary care centres, while helping shift care delivery to daycare centres and beyond traditional tertiary hospitals.

“India’s growing cancer burden requires us to rethink how cancer care is delivered. Innovations such as subcutaneous immunotherapy have the potential to simplify treatment administration, reduce pressure on hospital beds and support more decentralised models of care beyond large metro hospitals,” said Dr Amit Rauthan, Consultant and HOD of Medical Oncology at Manipal Hospital.

Read More: India Better Prepared For Hantavirus Outbreaks After COVID-19 Experience, Says Dr NK Ganguly | Exclusive

Tecentriq SC: Safety

Global studies have indicated strong patient preference for subcutaneous administration.

According to results from the IMscin002 study presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2024:

• Four out of five patients preferred Tecentriq SC over IV administration
• Patients cited less time in clinics, greater comfort, and lower emotional distress as key reasons for preference

Studies have also shown that subcutaneous administration is associated with less discomfort, pain, and irritation compared to IV administration.

In the IMscin001 study presented at ESMO 2023:

• 90 per cent of healthcare professionals agreed the SC formulation was easy to administer
• 75 per cent believed it could save time for healthcare teams.

Even as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) got rebranded as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), it signals a major shift in how doctors understand and treat one of the most common hormonal conditions affecting women, said health experts today.

Speaking to HealthandMe, the experts noted that from the earlier narrowed focus on ovarian cysts, the transition toward PMOS will better capture the condition’s complex metabolic and endocrine nature.

Dr. Isha Kriplani, Consultant – Obstetrics and Gynecology at Paras Health, said the renaming marks “the beginning of a new era in women's gynecological health.”

What Does PMOS Mean?

Also read: PCOS Is Now PMOS: What The Name Change Means For Millions Of Women

The new name aims to explain the condition more accurately and comprehensively.

Polyendocrine means it affects multiple hormones in the body.

Metabolic refers to issues linked to weight, insulin, blood sugar, and heart health.

Ovarian highlights its impact on ovulation and reproductive health.

Syndrome refers to a group of symptoms occurring together.

In simple terms, PMOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect periods, fertility, skin, mood, weight, and long-term health.

How Will The Change Impact Women

Dr. Isha stated that the term PMOS acknowledges that the disorder is not solely linked to hormonal imbalance or ovarian dysfunction, but also deeply connected to metabolic health. She explained that many women experience symptoms such as weight gain, skin issues, fatigue, insulin resistance, and hormonal disturbances without necessarily showing ovarian cysts on ultrasonography.

“Rebranding Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) into Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) is the beginning of a new era in women's gynecological health. This is because renaming helps us understand that the complex interplay of this disease is not only about imbalanced hormones but also metabolism,” she told HealthandMe.

Dr. Isha added that the shift could help broaden diagnosis and encourage early intervention to prevent long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. She noted that the new terminology also provides women with a more accurate understanding of the syndrome and encourages treatment strategies focused on addressing the root metabolic causes.

Why The Change To PMOS Was Necessary

Dr. Raina Chawla, Associate Director – Gynecology at Sarvodaya Hospital, told HealthandMe the transition from PCOS to PMOS corrects what she described as one of medicine’s “most persistent misnomers.”

She explained that for years, the term PCOS led many patients to believe the condition was purely ovarian in nature, often resulting in confusion and delays in diagnosis. According to Dr. Raina, the so-called “cysts” seen in PCOS are actually immature follicles that develop as a consequence of the disorder rather than being its primary cause.

Also read: PCOD vs PCOS vs PMOS: Why The Condition’s Name Has Changed Over Time

“The shift from PCOS to Reproductive Metabolic Syndrome (PMOS) is an important move toward correcting one of medicine’s most persistent misnomers,” Dr. Raina said.

She further emphasized that the newer terminology places appropriate attention on insulin resistance and androgen excess, helping doctors and patients approach the disorder as a systemic endocrine and metabolic condition rather than a localized ovarian issue.

Experts believe the change in terminology could also reduce stigma and improve awareness about the wide-ranging symptoms associated with the syndrome, while encouraging a more holistic treatment approach that includes lifestyle modifications, metabolic screening, and long-term preventive care.

While there have been meaningful improvements in global health over the past decade, in larger terms, the global health progress continues to be ‘fragile and insufficient’, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) in its new report.

The World Health Statistics 2026 report calls for stronger systems to protect progress.

WHO highlighted several major improvements between 2010 and 2024, including:

• New HIV infections dropped by 40 per cent
• Tobacco and alcohol consumption declined globally
• The number of people needing treatment for neglected tropical diseases fell by 36 per cent

• 961 million people gained access to safe drinking water
• 1.2 billion gained access to sanitation
• 1.6 billion gained access to basic hygiene
• 1.4 billion people gained access to clean cooking solutions

Major Challenges Persist

Despite progress, several global health challenges continue to worsen. These include:

• Malaria incidence has risen by 8.5 per cent since 2015,
• Anemia still affects 30.7 per cent of women of reproductive age, with little improvement over the last decade.
• Childhood overweight prevalence also reached 5.5 per cent in 2024.

“These data tell a story of both progress and persistent inequality, with many people – especially women, children and those in underserved communities – still denied the basic conditions for a healthy life,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“Investing in stronger, more equitable health systems, including resilient health data systems is essential to target action, close gaps and ensure accountability,” he added.

Also read: Another Norovirus Outbreak Confirmed Aboard Cruise Ship In France; Over 1,700 People Trapped

Urgent Need To Protect Progress

The report stressed the urgent need to strengthen universal health coverage (UHC), noting that 1.6 billion people were pushed into poverty due to out-of-pocket healthcare expenses in 2022.

Vaccination coverage also remains below target, contributing to recent measles outbreaks in countries including the US and Bangladesh.

Although maternal mortality has fallen by 40 per cent since 2000, it still remains nearly three times above the 2030 target. Progress in reducing premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases has also slowed since 2015.

Air pollution caused an estimated 6.6 million deaths globally in 2021, while poor water, sanitation, and hygiene contributed to 1.4 million deaths in 2019.

“These trends reflect too many deaths that could have been avoided,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data.

“With rising environmental risks, health emergencies, and a worsening health financing crisis, we must act urgently – strengthening primary health care, investing in prevention, and securing sustainable financing to build resilient health systems and get back on track.”

Gaps In Health Data

The WHO report also flagged major gaps in global health data collection.

By the end of 2025, only 18 per cent of countries were reporting mortality data to WHO within one year, while nearly one-third had never submitted cause-of-death data.

Of the estimated 61 million deaths globally in 2023, only about one-third included cause-of-death information, and just one-fifth had properly coded International Classification of Diseases (ICD) data.

"While global health efforts are delivering results, progress is fragile and insufficient," stated the report, while stressing the need for accelerated action, stronger health systems, and improved data to renew progress toward the 2030 health goals.