Pakistani scientist urges UN to tackle rising global threat of fetal teratogens

LAHORE (Dunya News) – On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed worldwide on Wednesday, Pakistani researcher Prof Dr Aurangzeb Hafi issued a strong appeal to global institutions, warning that teratogens – spanning chemicals, medicinal substances, food additives, and environmental toxins – pose scientifically established dangers to fetal development.

He urged regional and international bodies, particularly the United Nations and legislative forums across SAARC countries, to tighten regulation of substances capable of crossing the placental barrier or harming delicate neonatal tissues.

He noted that teratogens fall into several categories, including chemical, medicinal, and environmental agents known to disrupt fetal growth and trigger severe physicochemical, neurological, and developmental abnormalities.

According to him, these hazards are no longer confined to controlled industrial environments, as traces are increasingly found in certain medications, consumer products, food systems, and contaminated surroundings.

Prof Hafi referenced his flagship study, the “Trans-Referential Research Model of Teratology”, supported by the “Trans-Positional Theory of Terato-Kinetics and Iatro-Teratogenicity”. The research includes one of the largest data reviews conducted on global disability prevalence, covering between 660 and 730 million individuals – an estimated 10 to 17 percent of the world’s population.

He stated that the evidence demonstrates a strong association between exposure to iatro-teratogens – medication-related agents that unintentionally cause fetal abnormalities – and increasing cases of physical, neurological, and cognitive disabilities in unborn and newborn infants. He described iatro-teratogenicity as a “silently growing global emergency”, comparing its long-term societal impact to the scale of international security challenges.

Prof Hafi called for a unified response at national, regional, and international levels. His recommendations include UN-driven regulatory frameworks for hazardous chemicals, strengthened medico-forensic examination of fetal toxicity, integration of teratological research into global academic curricula, and widespread public awareness regarding harmful prenatal exposures. He emphasised that organisations such as the United Nations, WHO, UNESCO, and national legislative forums must treat teratogen control as a planetary health priority, warning that their decisions directly affect more than 730 million persons living with disabilities.

Environmental concerns

Drawing attention to environmental risks, he highlighted subsoil water toxicity as an escalating teratogenic threat. He said underground water reserves in several developing countries, including Pakistan, are being contaminated by non-compatible sewage and drainage systems, creating hazardous chemical conditions. According to him, the absence of robust regulatory oversight is enabling a “silent public health catastrophe”, with prolonged exposure potentially leading to congenital abnormalities, neurological impairments, and multi-system disorders in future generations.

Prof Hafi’s contributions to teratology have earned him international recognition. In 2013, he introduced the first global Model of Teratological Research at Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, a framework disseminated to more than 1,700 universities under UN directives. He has been listed among the “Top of The Top-10 Most Impactful Persons of the 21st Century’s First Bi-Decadal Merit Gazette”.

He reiterated that scientific evidence and global disability trends signal an escalating crisis, urging world leaders to mobilise legislative, scientific, and ethical measures to curb teratogenic exposure and protect future generations from preventable developmental harm.