SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Environmental Working Group is urging California lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 646, a first-in-the-nation measure that would require prenatal vitamin manufacturers to test for and publicly disclose levels of potentially harmful heavy metals in their products.
On April 30, the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee passed the bill, following its initial hearing in the Senate Health Committee earlier in the month. Sen. Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) introduced S.B. 646 in February and EWG is sponsoring the bill.
The legislation responds to growing concern over the presence in prenatal supplements of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. A recent peer-reviewed study published in Environmental Research found that 15 percent of prenatal vitamins tested exceeded California’s Proposition 65 safety threshold of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving.
If enacted, S.B. 646 would make California the first state to require routine tests and public disclosure of heavy metals in prenatal vitamins, setting a precedent for stronger maternal health protections nationwide. The measure would require manufacturers to regularly test a representative sample of their products and post results online beginning in 2027.
Disclosures must include the name and level of each heavy metal detected. The bill would also require vitamin labels to include a QR code linking to these results.
“Pregnant people deserve to know what’s in the vitamins they rely on for their health and their baby’s development,” said Melanie Benesh, EWG’s vice president for government affairs. “The presence of heavy metals in prenatal vitamins is deeply concerning. S.B. 646 will empower consumers with the information they need and drive industry-wide reform.”
The bill builds on the success of California’s Assembly Bill 899, enacted in 2023 to require testing and disclosure of heavy metals in baby food.
“California has a proud history of setting the standard for public health protections,” added Benesh. “S.B. 646 is the next step in that legacy – putting the health of moms and babies first.”
Growing evidence of concern
The Environmental Research study, conducted by researchers at the University of Miami, Clean Label Project and Ellipse Analytics, adds to a growing body of evidence about heavy metals in prenatal supplements. In addition to lead, other heavy metals such as arsenic and cadmium were detected at levels of concern.
The findings echo a 2023 Government Accountability Office report, which found lead in half of the prenatal vitamins sampled and cadmium in several others. Although the levels did not top the Food and Drug Administration’s daily exposure limit of 8.8 micrograms for pregnant women, research shows that even low levels of exposure can pose serious risks to fetal development.
Gummy and soft gel vitamins had lead levels below the limit of quantification in the Environmental Research study, but most tablets and capsules contained measurable amounts of toxic metals.
Currently, prenatal supplements fall under the FDA’s broader dietary supplement regulations.
“U.S. law does not require vitamin companies to test for heavy metals or disclose test results to the public,” said Benesh. “This lack of oversight leaves the industry with no accountability and creates zero transparency for consumers.”
S.B. 646 would change that if enacted, by establishing clear, enforceable standards and requiring greater transparency in the industry. It would give families greater confidence about the developing fetus and help them make informed decisions.
The bill now goes to the Appropriations Committee.
###
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
