For the first time, a U.S. federal health agency has acknowledged concerns that bisphenol A (or BPA), a chemical found in thousands of everyday products such as baby bottles and compact discs, may cause cancer and other serious disorders.

The draft report by the National Toxicology Program signals a turning point in the government's position on BPA, a chemical so ubiquitous in the U.S. that it has been detected in the urine of 93 percent of the population over 6 years old.

Last year, another expert panel minimized the health risks of BPA, but its findings were widely assailed after an investigation found that a firm hired to perform scientific analysis was also working for the chemical industry.

BPA may be linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, early puberty in females and behavioral changes, according to the report. The National Toxicology Program called for more research into the chemical's health effects.