Is GenX, the chemical that replaced Teflon, actually safe?

What's actually in it

HFPO-DA, sold under the trade name GenX, is a newer PFAS chemical that replaced PFOA in the manufacturing of nonstick cookware coatings, waterproof textiles, and food-contact coatings. Manufacturers switched to GenX after PFOA was linked to cancer and other health problems. The pitch was that GenX leaves the body faster and is therefore safer.

But "faster" doesn't mean "fast." GenX still persists in the body and in the environment far longer than most chemicals.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Health Perspect put GenX through a full chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity evaluation in mice. The results challenge the "safer alternative" marketing.

Mice exposed to HFPO-DA over their lifetime developed liver tumors, including both benign and malignant types. The chemical also caused liver cell proliferation, oxidative damage, and chronic inflammation in liver tissue, all of which are precursors to cancer.

Beyond liver effects, the study found kidney damage and changes in thyroid hormone levels. The thyroid effects are concerning because thyroid hormones control metabolism, growth, and brain development.

The study used doses relevant to environmental exposure levels found near manufacturing plants and in contaminated drinking water supplies. The EPA has since set very low health advisory levels for GenX in water, but it's still used in products.

If your nonstick cookware was made after 2015, it may use GenX-based coatings instead of PFOA. Ceramic, cast iron, and stainless steel cookware avoid this chemical entirely.