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- In early 1999, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) initiated
a legal action against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting
that Monsanto's genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) (also
known as rBST or PosilacÆ) be taken off the market. CFS took this
important step upon the release of information from Health Canada (the
Canadian equivalent of FDA) that the FDA failed to investigate studies
showing that the oral feeding of rBGH led to thyroid cysts and prostate
activity in male rats. The Health Canada study emphatically found that
these results necessitated further study of the human health impacts of
rBGH. The study also found that significant animal health problems were
associated with rBGH use in dairy cows, including a 50% risk increase of
lameness and a 25% risk increase of mastitis (udder infections). However,
the FDA approved rBGH for use in the U.S. in late 1993 without finding
that it was safe for use and ignoring studies that indicated these human
and animal health risks. In contrast, both Canada and the European Union
have found the potential human and animal health impacts associated with
rBGH great enough to prohibit rBGH use.
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- Please demand that the government take rBGH off the market
and support the CFS legal action. You can submit your comments to the FDA
today!
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- Visit http://www.foodsafetynow.org To Send an urgent
message to the commissioner of the FDA
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- Or Write To:
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- Docket No: 98P-1194
- Commissioner Jane Henney
- Food and Drug Adminsitration
- 5360 Fishers Lane
- Room 1061 (HFA-305)
- Rockville, MD 20852
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- Organizations signing onto CFS' legal petition include
the American Humane Association, Community Nutrition Institute, Family
Farm Defenders, Greenpeace, the Humane Society of the United States, Organic
Trade Association, Rural Vermont, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
and several prominent breast cancer activists.
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- Today, genetically engineered bovine growth hormone continues
to be used by dairy farmers throughout the United States.The numerous human
and animal health and economic concerns about its use include:
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- Cancer Risks. Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-1) is
a hormone found at elevated levels in the milk derived from rBGH-injected
cows. IGF-1 is known to survive in the digestive tract, plays a role in
cancer in general, and may have significant effects on colon tumors in
humans.
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- Severe Animal Health Problems. Significant animal health
problems including a 50% risk increase of lameness (leg and hoof problem),
over a 25% increase in the frequency of clinical mastitis (udder infections),
and serious animal reproductive problems (including infertility, cystic
ovaries and fetal loss) have been associated with rBGH use.
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- Antibiotic Resistance. Because rBGH use results in elevated
mastitis levels, dairy farmers tend to use more antibiotics -- residues
of these drugs may end up in milk and dairy products. These residues may
cause adverse (i.e. allergic) reactions in a few sensitive individuals
and contribute to the growth of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, an ever
important human health problem.
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- Loss of Family Farms. Even a small increase in milk surpluses
causes a big decline in family dairy farmers' incomes. Milk production
has been shown to rise sharply in states where rBGH sales are highest,
depressing milk prices nationally.
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- Because of the FDA's inadequate review, millions of American
infants, children, and adults are consuming milk and dairy products derived
from cows injected with genetically engineered bovine growth hormone every
day!
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- Tell the FDA to remove this potentially dangerous product
from the market!
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- BioDemocracy and Organic Consumers Association
- 6114 Hwy 61, Little Marais, MN 55614, E-mail:<../staff.cfmStaff
- Activist or Media Inquiries: (218) 226-4164, Fax: (218)
226-4157
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