CDC Cuts Jeopardize Research into Risk from PFAS Exposure

Birth Defects, Forever Chemicals, PFAs, Toxic Exposure

Behind every birth defect is a family searching for answers. For many, those answers point to toxic chemical exposure — a risk too often hidden in plain sight. Yet just as science begins to uncover the environmental causes of birth defects, critical federal funding is being slashed. These cuts don’t just threaten research, they jeopardize justice for families living with the lifelong consequences of preventable harm.

The Center for Disease Control’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, a key player in tracking and understanding the causes of fetal birth defects, is also facing reductions. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, these cuts could stall essential research that links environmental exposures to conditions like congenital heart disease, cleft palate, and neural tube defects. This isn’t just a blow to public health, it’s a growing legal concern, too.

The Numbers and the Cause Are Clear: The Risk from PFAS Exposure 

The CDC reports that nearly 1 in every 33 babies born in the U.S. — about 120,000 annually — is affected by a birth defect. A growing body of research connects many of these conditions to environmental toxins, including:

  • PFAS (so-called “forever chemicals”)
  • Industrial solvents used in manufacturing
  • Agricultural pesticides
  • Contaminants in household products and groundwater

These substances are often difficult to detect and even harder to regulate — but their consequences are clear and lasting.

Who Is Most at Risk from PFAS Exposure?

Communities already facing systemic barriers are also more likely to suffer from environmental exposure. These include:

  • Families living near military bases with groundwater contamination
  • Residents of agricultural regions with heavy pesticide use
  • Workers in manufacturing facilities using industrial solvents or PFAS
  • Low-income households and communities of color with limited access to safe housing

These populations often struggle to get an accurate diagnosis or access to medical care — and without research-backed evidence, seeking justice through PFAS lawsuits becomes even harder.

Research Cuts Can Limit PFAS Lawsuits

When science is defunded, it becomes harder to prove the link between chemical exposure and birth defects. For some corporations, that’s by design.

Many industries have a history of undermining or suppressing research that threatens their bottom line. Cutting off scientific inquiry doesn’t just delay medical breakthroughs, it shields negligent companies from liability by making it more difficult to identify the risks from PFAS exposure.

These aren’t just budget decisions — they are barriers to truth, accountability, and legal recourse.

Legal Action May Be the Only Path to Insight into the Risks of PFAS Exposure 

Families affected by toxic exposure may have legal grounds to hold polluters, manufacturers, or negligent agencies accountable. PFAS lawsuits and other forms of litigation can provide access to medical support, financial relief, and, just as importantly, answers.

How We Help Birth Defect Victims

Seek justice with the help of our experienced birth defects attorneys. Our birth defect litigation attorneys have represented people like you affected by birth defects caused by toxic exposure, aggressively fighting the corporate giants who failed to protect vulnerable workers. If you or a loved one was exposed to chemicals while pregnant and now has a child who suffers from a life-altering birth defect like spina bifida, muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, we can help.