The American Nurses Association\California SUPPORTS SB 646 (Weber Pierson) Prenatal Vitamins

SB_646_Sen_Envi_Support_Apr2025.pdf

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Apr 21st, 2025

The Honorable Catherine Blakespear Chair, Senate Environmental Committee

1021 O Str., Suite 3230 Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: SB 646 (Weber Pierson) Prenatal Vitamins- SUPPORT

Dear Chair Blakespear,

On behalf of the American Nurses Association\California (ANA\C), we are proud to support SB 646 (Weber Pierson). ANA\C is a bi-partisan professional nursing organization representing the interests of more than 500,000 licensed registered nurses in California. Our mission is to optimize nursing contribution to the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

As a state-level professional advocacy organization, ANA\C has been extensively involved in legislative efforts supporting many bills that became California’s laws and are currently assisting in making California a place of Nursing Excellence. SB 646 (Weber Pierson) would strengthen maternal and fetal health protections by requiring the testing and public disclosure of four (4) toxic heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead) in all prenatal vitamins sold or manufactured in California. Prenatal vitamins play a crucial role in supplementing the nutritional needs of pregnant individuals, helping to prevent birth defects, low birth weight, and pregnancy complications. While a well-balanced diet is ideal, many Californians do not consistently consume adequate nutrients.

As a result, prenatal vitamins, which typically contain folic acid, iodine, iron, and other essential nutrients, are widely recommended and are essential to ensure expecting mothers have the nutrients they need. However, recent studies have raised concerns about the presence of toxic heavy metals in prenatal vitamins. A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found lead - a heavy metal for which no safe exposure level exists - in half of the prenatal vitamins tested. Additional independent studies have identified contamination levels exceeding California’s Proposition 65 limit for lead. Despite these risks, there are currently no federal or state regulations specifically addressing heavy metal contamination in prenatal vitamins. SB 646 is a necessary step to improve transparency, empower consumers to make informed choices, encourage manufacturers to reduce contamination, and lay the groundwork for potential safety standards. For these reasons, ANA\C is proud to support SB 646.

Respectfully,

Dr. Marketa Houskova, DNP, MAIA, BA, RN

Chief Executive Officer