The BfR says PTFE nonstick cookware poses no expected health risk in proper use.
The one real hazard is an empty pan strongly overheated, toward 360°C, which can release harmful fumes; cooking with food or oil never gets near that. Scratched coatings shed inert particles that pass through undigested, per the BfR, though flaking pans should still be replaced. The old processing chemical PFOA is phased out; today's PFAS concerns are about environment and water, not your frying pan. Never preheat empty, keep heat moderate, use soft utensils, ventilate, and replace heavy flakers.
What to do
Common questions
Is nonstick cookware safe?
Modern nonstick pans are safe when used the way they are designed to be used, and the failure modes are known. Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) states that no adverse health effects are expected from PTFE nonstick cookware used properly, with one hard rule: the coating only becomes a problem when a pan is strongly heated while empty, because overheating, toward 360°C, can produce gases hazardous to health. Normal cooking with food or oil in the pan keeps temperatures far below that. The scratched-pan worry also has an answer: the BfR says tiny particles from a scratched coating that get eaten are not expected to harm health, because PTFE is inert and passes through the body undigested, though a flaking pan is worth replacing for cooking quality anyway. The historical villain, PFOA, a processing chemical once used in making these coatings, has been phased out of production for years, and current health concerns about the broader PFAS family relate to environmental contamination and drinking water, not to frying an egg. The rules in practice: never preheat empty, keep to low or medium heat, use wooden or silicone utensils, ventilate the kitchen, and retire pans that are heavily flaking.