BPA research

The receptiveness of the scientific community to XE and low dose hypotheses largely followed the existing pattern of support for the theory of endocrine modulation. Applying the characterisation developed by Krimsky (2002), members of the BPA collective may be divided into four well-characterised types: advocacy scientists who identified themselves as supporters of the endocrine theory and BPA sub-hypotheses; tacit supporters who expressed belief that the claims are more likely true than false but temper their advocacy to specific forums; critical sceptics who see themselves as guardians of scientific and/or public truth and who would rather not act on the basis of tentative and speculative hypotheses; and finally, silent sceptics who will usually work in the background as reviewers of papers and grant proposals to ensure that findings are not uncritically accepted without consideration of other interpretations.