As reported in a March 18, New York Times editorial, "Honest Food Labels," FDA Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, M.D., publicized letters to 17 food companies accusing them of -- "masking undesirable ingredients" -- in their products. She also emphasized the importance of "providing nutrition information that consumers can rely on." Unfortunately, she has failed to take any such action with regard to the two major dietary staples, milk and meat.
About 20 percent of our milk is genetically engineered, technically known as rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone), which contains high levels of a natural growth factor known as IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor one). This survives digestion and is readily absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. Increased levels of IGF-1 have been shown to increase risks of breast cancer in 19 scientific publications, risks of colon cancer in 10 publications, and prostate cancer in seven publications. Of further concern, increased IGF-1 levels block natural defense mechanisms against early microscopic cancers, known as apoptosis.
It should further be noted the scientific evidence for the dangers of rBGH milk is dealt with in detail in my 2006 book, What's In Your Milk? supported by approximately 200 scientific references. Endorsers of the book include Representative John Conyers, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and Quentin D. Young, Chairman of the Health and Medicine Policy Research Group and Public Health Advocate, State of Illinois.
Based on these concerns, on June 3, 1999, the United Nations Food Safety Agency, representing 101 nations worldwide, ruled unanimously not to endorse or set safety standards for rBGH milk. Effectively, this has resulted in an international ban on US milk.
Also based on these concerns, the Cancer Prevention Coalition, endorsed by five leading national experts, petitioned the FDA in May 2007 to label rBGH milk with an explicit cancer warnings. In the absence of any response, we resubmitted this petition in January 2010 to Dr. Hamburg, and are waiting for a response.
US cattle are implanted with natural or synthetic sex hormones prior to entering feed lots 100 days prior to slaughter in order to increase their meat yield. Not surprisingly, our meat is contaminated with high levels of sex hormones. Based on these concerns, and as warned by the Cancer Prevention Coalition and five leading national experts, our meat poses increased risks of hormonal cancers, which have escalated since 1975: breast by 23 percent, prostate by 60 percent, and testis by 60 percent. Not surprisingly, US meat is banned worldwide.
Furthermore, as clearly evidenced in a series of General Accounting Office investigations and Congressional hearings, the FDA, besides the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), have failed to take any regulatory action to protect the public from the dangers of hormonal meat. A 1986 report, "Human Food Safety and Regulation of Animal Drugs," unanimously approved by the House Committee on Government Operations, concluded that the "FDA has consistently disregarded its responsibility -- has repeatedly put what it perceives are interests of veterinarians and the livestock industry ahead of its legal obligation to protect consumers -- jeopardizing the health and safety of consumers meat, milk, and poultry."
In response to questions on the dangers of hormonal meat raised by the European Commission in February 1996, the USDA responded with unsubstantiated claims that less than 0.25 percent of animals tested annually proved positive for "residue violations." In fact, meat has not been and is still not monitored for sex hormone levels by the USDA or FDA.
Together with other leading scientific experts, on January 29, 2010, the Cancer Prevention Coalition submitted a Citizens Petition to the FDA on the "Imminent health Hazard" from hormonal meat, supported by 59 scientific references. We are waiting for a response.
Not surprisingly, U.S. milk and meat are banned in some leading countries.
Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.
Professor emeritus Environmental & Occupational Medicine
University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition
email: epstein@uic.edu
www.preventcancer.com
To subscribe: http://ens-news.net/lists/?p=subscribe&id=9
David Katz, M.D.: Do Multivitamins Cause Breast Cancer?
Do multivitamins cause breast cancer? An observational cohort study conducted in Sweden, recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests they may.
Lisa Guest: Who Are You Going To Trust?
I'd rather be in front of this screen or the boob tube than slicing, dicing and doing the healthiest for myself, during my last twenty some odd years I've "nuked" food close to thirty thousand times.
Lauren Cahn: Lifetime Television's Website Presents My Lifetime Commitment: Breast Cancer Survivors
Lifetime Television has published on its website a series of mini-documentaries on breast cancer survivors.
BPA is one of many man-made chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors, which alter the function of the endocrine system by mimicking the role of the body's natural hormones. Hormones are secreted through endocrine glands and serve different functions throughout the body.
The chemical--which is widely used in products such as reusable water bottles, food can linings, water pipes and dental sealants--has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animal studies.
"There is a large body of scientific evidence demonstrating the harmful effects of very small amounts of BPA in laboratory and animal studies, but little clinical evidence related to humans," explains Belcher. "There is a very strong suspicion in the scientific community, however, that this chemical has harmful effects on humans." ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2008)
The chemical is widely used in plastic water and baby bottles, food packaging, compact discs, and other consumer products; plastics made with BPA usually have the number 7 on the bottom. BPA has shown effects on breast and prostate tissue, as well as on how early puberty occurs.
Hormones have been in the milk & meat for over 3 decades from what I've read. We can avoid it. We need to move beyond the meat eater vs non-meat eater opposition because there is a far more insidious agent in play now. Plastic.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
kbuffler42 11:03 PM on 4/13/2010HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Rob Halpin 06:52 PM on 4/13/2010HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Rob Halpin 09:08 AM on 4/14/2010Veganism is not a huge undertaking at all. I was raised in a lower middle class family and "meat and potatoes" was all I knew. After eliminating animal products four years ago I felt 100 percent healthier - with incredible energy - after about a week. Feeling stronger, sleeping better, a calmer mind -- all of these things have made me never look back.
I find that eating a vegan diet is in no way restrictive and is not any more difficult than one that includes animal products.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
organicconnect 05:37 PM on 4/13/2010HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Leslie Robinson Goldberg 02:28 AM on 4/14/2010HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ConcernedAboutRFuture 05:33 PM on 4/13/2010Haven't drank regular milk since the 80's....it
In the meantime they have only our safety in mind when they ban us from buying discount prescriptions from other countries.
They have only our health and safety in mind. Really.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
CristineN 03:45 PM on 4/13/2010HUFFPOST SUPER USER
docbets 03:32 PM on 4/13/2010It is plain to be seen what is the matter.
I would like to hear the author's views on this.
Bring back RAW dairy, as God intended. Get the fake milk off the market and allow people to buy and drink the wonderfully healing raw milk.
http://www
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Rob Halpin 07:00 PM on 4/13/2010I was not debating where mammals drink other mammals milk, I was educating you on the dangers of processed dairy. And just how do you know what nature intended?
There is a mountain of unbiased evidence that raw dairy HEALS the body. Stay sickly, I really don't care.