Komputer for Alle 1998 #6/1998 CD 6 (Gul).iso/web/ffa/wwwenv~1.org/arrs/digest/news66~6.htm/text0006.txt

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Antibiotics in animals threaten humans, expert says

Reuters News Service
WASHINGTON, February 12, 1998

The widespread use of antibiotics in farm animals is helping the spread
of drug-resistant germs and should be phased out, a German expert said
Thursday.

Though evidence of this was clear, most countries had done little or
nothing to stop farmers from dosing pigs, cattle and chickens with
unnecessary drugs, asserted Wolfgang Witte of the Robert Koch Institute
in Wernigerode, Germany.

"All of the pathogens usually found in hospitals are affected, as well
as mycobacteria (which include the tuberculosis bug) pneumococci and
Enterobacteriacae (which include E coli and salmonella)," Witte wrote in
a commentary in the journal Science.

There is a good reason that farmers feed drugs to their stock. "Animals
receiving antibiotics in their feed gain 4 to 5 percent more body weight
than animals that do not receive antibiotics," Witte wrote.

In fact, animals get many more drugs than people do, citing statistics
from Denmark and Australia. But he said this was not necessary. Better
hygiene could lead to healthier farm animals as well -- something argued
by organic farmers who eschew crowded factory farming.

In 1969 a British panel called the Swann Committee decided that
antibiotics used to treat people or drugs closely related to medical
antibiotics -- which could make bacteria-resistant -- should not be
given to animals. The World Health Organization reinforced the
recommendations in 1997.

"That the Swann committee's resolution needs repetition after 28 years
indicates that we have not seen sufficient adherence to the principles
stated," Witte wrote.

This was a global problem, Witte added. "Meat products are traded
worldwide, and evolving bacterial populations do not respect
geographical boundaries."
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 22:55:05 -0800
From: Andrew Gach <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Acorns, not deer, the key to Lyme disease
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Acorns, not deer, the key to Lyme disease, study finds

Reuters News Service
WASHINGTON, February 12, 1998

Acorns, and not deer, may be the key to how big a risk Lyme disease is,
researchers reported Thursday. How many acorns are produced by oak trees
in a forest may eventually determine how many infected ticks are out
there to spread the disease, which can cause fever and sometimes
permanent physical damage to victims, they said.

Writing in the journal Science, Clive Jones and Rick Ostfeld of the
Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., said they hoped to
eventually come up with a way to predict the risk of Lyme disease.

"What our data suggests is that the risk of Lyme disease might be higher
two years after an acorn crop, so it is potentially feasible to
risk-rate the forest," Jones said.

Just as the U.S. Forest Service posted signs telling of a high, medium
or low risk of forest fires, perhaps they could post signs warning of
the relative risk of being bitten by a tick infected with Lyme disease,
Jones suggested.

But not quite yet. "The final link between the number of infected nymphs
(ticks) -- the ones that get on you and bite you -- we haven't tied that
one down yet," he said.

What Jones's team did find was that acorns are important to populations
of the mice that infect the ticks in the first place, and the deer that
pick up the ticks and carry them to places from which they get onto
people.

Oak trees produce large crops of acorns every two to five years, but
produce few or none at all in between. These acorns are the major food
source for white-footed mice, as well as white-tailed deer.

Mice and deer both carry the black-legged tick. Mice infect the ticks
with the spirochete bacteria that causes Lyme disease -- Borrelia
burgdorferi.

By Maggie Fox, Reuters Health and Science Correspondent
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 23:58:43 PST
From: "vadivu govind" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (CN) Sea lions traumatised by firecrackers
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>The Straits Times
13 Feb 98

Sea lions traumatised by firecrackers

     BEIJING -- Firecrackers set off during the recent Chinese New Year
celebrations have traumatised four     performing sea lions in an
aquarium in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, the official Xinhua
news agency     reported yesterday. The sea lions have refused to
perform since Jan 28 when the Chinese New Year was     celebrated. The
animals were frightened by the noise from the firecrackers.

     One of the sea lions -- a male -- has recovered after 10 days of
treatment and is now able to perform.

     "However, the other three sea lions have been so scared that, in
addition to refusing to return to the     performing stage, they are
experiencing physical symptoms such as shuddering, roaring and
diarrhea," the     news agency said.

     "They also hide in the water when they hear any loud noise. And
sometimes they refuse to eat," it added.

     The Qingdao aquarium is located in an area of the city where
firecrackers are still permitted and often set     off by revellers.

     Several major Chinese cities have banned firecrackers which have
caused numerous deaths, injuries and     fires. The Beijing authorities
have continued to ban firecrackers from the capital. -- AFP, Xinhua.

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 00:04:43 PST
From: "vadivu govind" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RFI: Correspondence courses in animal rights/welfare
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Content-Type: text/plain



If anyone has any information on correspondence courses in animal
rights/welfare (not veterinary studies), please could you email me? The
person enquiring is interested in animals and is exploring the idea but
at the moment can't be specific about what he wants so he'd appreciate
any general/specific info on this.

Sorry this is such a vague question.

Thanks for any help.

- Vadivu

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 16:32:32 +0000
From: jwed <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (PH) Tribes defend dog-eating ways
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South China Morning Post - Friday  February 13  1998
by RAISSA ROBLES in Manila

With the act of eating dog meat now proclaimed a criminal offence, mountain
tribes from seven provinces in northern Philippines say they should be
exempted.

The Animal Welfare Act of 1998, which President Fidel Ramos signed into law
on Wednesday, is "now an issue among us because we feel it should not apply
to us", Pancho Reyes, a native of Sagada, Mountain Province, told the Post
yesterday.

"Eating dog meat has long been a delicacy for us and part of our rituals,"
said Mr Reyes.

He said dog was the preferred sacrificial animal for a canao(feast)
"related to personal accidents and harvests".

Mr Reyes, who works as Mountain Province Congressman Victor Dominguez's
legislative chief of staff, explained: "For instance, I'm here in Manila
working and I'm stabbed, but fortunately I live. I have to go home to my
province for a thanksgiving.

"We usually prefer to butcher a dog and say some prayers so that the spirit
of the fierce dog will drive away the evil spirit that entered the body
during the stabbing."

This would also prevent a repeat of the incident, he added. Dogs were also
sacrificed after a harvest to protect the next harvest.

He claimed the ritual killing of the dog was humane. Its throat was quickly
cut with a knife and the blood let. The skin was then burned off, the body
chopped to pieces and boiled in water with ginger and salt.

The new law does make some exception for the mountain tribes by stating
that dogs can be killed as "part of the religious rituals of an established
religion or sect or a ritual required by tribal or ethnic custom of
indigenous cultural communities". Mr Reyes said the exception was
insufficient because dog meat was part of their regional cuisine as well.

The law, which also forbids dog and horse fights, carries a penalty of up
to two years in jail, up to a 5,000-peso (HK$1,000) fine, or both.


Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 07:15:20 -0500
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Death-Row Dog Goes to Sanctuary
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from Associated Press http://wire.ap.org
---------------------------------------
 02/12/1998 21:55 EST

 Death-Row Dog Goes to Sanctuary

 By JEFF BARNARD
 Associated Press Writer

 MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) -- A dog sent to death row for chasing a horse was
 given a reprieve Thursday.

 Jackson County Commissioners passed an ordinance that lets the
 collie-malamute mix named Nadas off the hook if his owner agrees to ship
 him off to the wilds of Utah to live out his days at an animal sanctuary.

 ``I'm sure we will do what's best for Nadas,'' said Sharon Roach, whose
 22-year-old son, Sean, raised the dog from a puppy.

 But first, they want to carefully consider the conditions of the measure,
 which include dropping a lawsuit against the county.

 ``It has been a long hard battle,'' she said. ``Emotionally, it has been
 really devastating.''

 Linda Rowe of the Portland animal advocacy group Watchdog said the
 ordinance was not a total solution. Dog owners still need a chance to
 correct a problem before a case gets to the point of death or banishment.

 ``If Nadas can be spared, that's wonderful,'' she said. ``But there are
 three other dogs in this state on death row.''

 Nadas was sentenced to death for chasing a horse in 1996 under a state
 law that allows counties to destroy dogs that kill, injure or chase
 livestock.

 Sean Roach, who manages a storage business in Ashland, hasn't seen his
 dog since he was seized by an animal control officer nearly two years
 ago. Since then, Roach and his mother have paid the county more than
 $4,000 to feed and board the dog, who has been kept at a secret location.

 Support for Nadas has been building for months over the Internet and
 among animal rights advocates, and peaked this week after the tabloid TV
 show ``Hard Copy'' aired the story. That prompted a deluge of telephone
 calls that jammed emergency lines at the county airport fire department.

 While enacting the ordinance, commissioners pointed out that 1,700 dogs
 are euthanized in Jackson County each year because owners don't properly
 care for them, and livestock owners have a right to expect protection for
 their animals, as well.

 ``This is a dispute between urban and rural people,'' said commission
 Chairwoman Sue Kupillas, herself a cattle rancher. ``What we hope is
 urban and rural people will learn to settle these disputes.''

 The ordinance requires a dog owner to request a hearing and prove the
 chased livestock suffered no injury. Dogs determined to have injured or
 killed livestock would be euthanized.

 The dog owner must pay the cost of a veterinary inspection of the
 livestock and a $100 penalty to cover the cost of the hearing. The cost
 of shipping the dog to a sanctuary also would be paid by the owner.

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 07:19:05 EST
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: PETA Protests Fishing Tournament
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Mississippi State News

Reuters
13-FEB-98

PETA Protests Fishing Tournament

(RIDGELAND) -- A big fishing tournament at the Ross Barnett Reservoir
has drawn the wrath of an animal rights group. People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals staged a protest yesterday during the Bassmasters
event at the lake near Jackson. PETA calls fishing cruel... and says the
bass would have a better chance of surviving after they are released if
the fishermen did NOT use barbed hooks and live wells.

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 07:20:26 -0500
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Groups Oppose Genetic Rule Proposal
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genetically engineered food/organic food
from Associated Press http://wire.ap.org
---------------------------------------
 02/13/1998 01:19 EST

 Groups Oppose Genetic Rule Proposal

 By PEGGY FIKAC
 Associated Press Writer

 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Meet ``Fishberry'' -- part fish, part strawberry --
 and, if he really existed, potentially an organically labeled nightmare.

 That is the opinion of Greenpeace activists and others protesting
 proposed federal standards for organic foods during a hearing convened by
 the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 To help make their point, they brought along an activist costumed as a
 fish-headed strawberry -- an example of what might happen through genetic
 engineering.

 In real science, plants with genes from common soil bacteria produce
 their own pest-killing toxins, allowing farmers to skip the use of
 chemical sprays. But opponents say insects may become resistant to the
 bacteria more quickly if they constantly are exposed to the plants, which
 would hamper the effectiveness of new crop sprays that are also
 bacteria-based.

 Some also have said that the foods resulting from genetically engineered
 plants may have harmful side effects. Among other changes, they want the
 new regulations for organic foods to ban use of genetic engineering in
 products labeled ``organic.''

 ``Consumers, organic farmers and the whole organic industry don't want
 this stuff. But the USDA has hijacked the process to keep from placing
 any kind of stigma on genetically altered foods,'' Greenpeace spokesman
 Bill Jackson said Thursday.

 The Sierra Club says a proposal for allowing genetically engineered food
 to be deemed organic conflicts with current practices and the
 expectations of consumers.

 ``If the USDA's proposed rules are adopted as written, consumers will
 lose all faith in the 'organic' label, and a $3.5 billion industry in
 organic products will be threatened,'' said Carl Pope of the Sierra Club.

 The Texas Agriculture Department said the state's organic certification
 standards could be significantly weakened if the proposals are adopted as
 written.

 Under the state organic certification program, ``consumers are assured
 the products they buy labeled as 'Texas Organic' are truly organic,''
 said state Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry. ``National standards
 should not create any doubts for consumers but rather maintain the high
 level of confidence now set in Texas.''

 USDA spokesman Andy Solomon emphasized that what the agency has put out
 is a draft, not a final rule for organic labeling.

 Even the initial proposal does not suggest allowing the use of
 genetically engineered organisms, but asks for public comment on whether
 they should be included, he said.

 ``We're very much engaged in a process now of seeking broad public
 participation and input. ...Nothing is final,'' Solomon said.

 U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman earlier this month delayed action
 on the labeling rules to allow more time for public comment. The deadline
 is now April 30.

 The USDA has received hundreds of objections to the possibility that
 products undergoing irradiation, genetic engineering and fertilization
 with sewage sludge could be put under the organic label.

 Growers also have said the rules would allow the organic label for
 livestock fed with up to 20 percent non-organic feed, and that loopholes
 would allow synthetic pesticides that never have been permitted.

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 98 07:26:07 UTC
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Anniversary of Victory for Animals
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

(From PETA's calendar): On this day in 1985: Two beagles were liberated
from a University of California, Davis, laboratory.

-- Sherrill
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 20:42:47 +0800
From: bunny <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RFI rabbit carers - USA/Canada
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Hi all,

If anyone on this list has a pet rabbit, can you please email me your
answers to the questions below.RHD is the same disease as RCD. RHD stands
for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease for which there is no cure but for which
there are
vaccines available and used for many years now in Europe and the UK.

If RHD/RCD broke out in the USA/Canada , currently the USDA has a policy of
"eradication"...i.e.they will not allow you a vaccine but will eradicate
all pet bunnies suspected of exposure to RHD (or with RHD antibodies?) until
the disease is wiped out.

The authorities would not take this approach with humans.(i.e.to eradicate
the disease, eradicate the humans).


Would you please email me and let me know the answer to these 2 questions-

(1)If RHD broke out in the USA/Canada, knowing the policy of the USDA,
would you

(A)Give up your rabbit for slaughter without question if RHD was in your
state and you were asked to surrender your rabbit

or

(B)Would you consider lobbying the US/Canadian Government to fly in
emergency vaccines which may save your bunny.

(2)Would you consider writing to your USDA now and requesting that they
change their approach to RHD (which now exists in most countries) and allow
a vaccine
to be registered in the USA or that they urgently develop an RHD vaccine that
they are willing to approve. (This could save your bunny from ever dying of RHD)

Please don't hesitate to add comments if you have any on the above questions.

Please pass this questionairre to anyone you know who has pet bunnies.

Please mail answers to [e-mail]

Thanks,

Marguerite


=====================================================================
========
                   /`\   /`\    Rabbit Information Service,
Tom, Tom,         (/\ \-/ /\)   P.O.Box 30,
The piper's son,     )6 6(      Riverton,
Saved a pig        >{= Y =}<    Western Australia 6148
And away he run;    /'-^-'\
So none could eat  (_)   (_)    email: [e-mail]
The pig so sweet    |  .  |
Together they ran   |     |}    http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
Down the street.    \_/^\_/    (Rabbit Information Service website updated
                                frequently)

Jesus was most likely a vegetarian... why aren't you? Go to
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4620/essene.htm
for more information.

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
       - Voltaire

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 09:53:02 -0800
From: Elisa Bob <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: tv shows on animals - info request
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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I am trying to find out about any local cable tv shows (broadcasting
on a regular basis) that focus on animal issues.  If you have one in your
area or know of one, please e-mail me directly.
Thanks,
Elisa
[e-mail]
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 11:24:42 -0500 (EST)
From: Nicola Thompson <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: ar-related studies
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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hello,
thanks to all who responded to my inquiry re: ar-related studies.
here's what i learned..

Rutgers Law School (Newark, New Jersey):
- The Animal Rights Law Center offers law classes and clinic in animal
rights.  It is the only one of its kind in the U.S.
        Contact:  Prof. Gary Francione, Prof. Anna Charlton
        Tel:  [phone]
        Website:  http://www.animal-law.org

Indiana State University
- Ethics and Animals courses offered in the Philosophy Dept.
        Contact:  Dr. Judy Barad
        Tel:  [phone]

Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (North Grafton, MA)
- Only college to offer graduate-level program focusing on human-nonhuman
animal relations, through M.S. degree program in Animals and Public Policy.
        Contact: Center for Animals and Public Policy
                 Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
                 200 Westboro Road
                 North Grafton, MA 01536
        Tel:  [phone]
        Fax:  [phone]

someone also suggested doing a search on animal rights, to find out which
authors/philosophy professors teach on the topic, (ie: Amazon.com).

* * * * *
nicola

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 98 12:43:54 UTC
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Not Monkeying Around
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Tulsa World, OK, USA: Wearing a monkey mask and prison stripes, Kelly
Beard-Tittone of Grandview, MO., sits in a cage in an animal rights
protest outside a Procter & Gamble factory in Kansas City, Kan. The
six-person protest was carried out by People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals, which claims that thousands of animals die in Procter &
Gamble laboratories. The company says it has reduced animal testing by
85 percent since 1984 on nondrug product testing.
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 13:53:56 -0800
From: Mesia Quartano <[e-mail]>
To: "[e-mail]" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (US-CA) Cruelty alleged in chef's preparation of exotic entree
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Accusation in Live Food Sales  Cruelty alleged in chef's preparation of
exotic entree
(San Francisco Chronicle; 02/13/98)

A longtime opponent of selling live animals for food has accused a
restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown of boiling a raccoon-like
coatimundi to death.

Eric Mills of Action for Animals told the Animal Control and Welfare
commission last night that he has sworn statements from three  former
workers of the restaurant who claim they saw a chef cook a  live
mapache, a Spanish term for an animal like the coatimundi, last
October.

The coatimundi, a long-nosed, tropical American mammal related to the
raccoon, was sold as a very expensive entree, the men said in  their
statements.

But the owner, who did not attend the commission meeting, denied  the
allegation. She told The Chronicle in a telephone interview that  she
believes the men are retaliating because they were fired.

The accusation is the latest attack on the use of live animals in
cooking, a practice considered central in some forms of Asian  cuisine.
Mills and other animal welfare advocates say the tradition  is cruel and
unnecessary. But many Asian American leaders say a  widespread ban would
be an unfair attack on their community.

Commissioner Carl Friedman, who heads the city's Animal Care and
Control Department, said he already has called the state Department  of
Fish and Game
about the allegations. He also plans to start his  own investigation
today.

The former workers were identified as dishwashers Julian G. Yah  May and
Adalberto Monte Canche and janitor Julio A. Cer Vazquez. Canche and
Vazquez
alleged that they saw the animal being cooked to  death. Yah May
contended that an owner of the restaurant offered him  money to "keep
quiet" about the incident. All three were dismissed  from the restaurant
in late October.

The men did not go to last night's meeting at the Taraval police
station, but had made their allegations before the state Labor
Commission last month as part of a wage claim, according to their
representative at the Instituto Laboral De La Raza.

"They were very shaken by the incident," said Sarah Shaker, a
spokeswoman at the workers rights group based in the Mission  District.
"And they were very clear-eyed about it."

According to the statements, Canche said he asked Yah May to  report the
incident to police.

But police spokesman Dewayne Tully said he could find no record of  such
a report.

"It's possible they did call, but it's just not showing up," Tully
said.

Commission members, some of whom have publicly denounced live  animal
sales, said they were shocked after reading the former  restaurant
workers'
statements.

"If these allegations are true, there are certainly cruelty and  abuse
laws we can look at," Friedman said.

The commission, an advisory council to the Board of Supervisors  and
Mayor
Willie Brown, recommended banning the sale of certain live  animals for
food
nearly two years ago. But the idea has not gotten  very far because
public
opposition has been intense.

This month, the state Fish and Game Commission had considered a
proposal to
outlaw the importation of live frogs and turtles. But  pleas from Asian
American leaders and some lawmakers prompted the  commission to delay
its vote.

 ------------------- COATI

The racoon-like coati lives in rocky  areas of open forest. Its
ringed-tail
is carried high, and coatis  are expert tree climbers.  Vocalization
ranges from pig-like  grunts to hissing and a thin  scream. An
omnivorous animal, the coati's favorite food are lizards.

--  Habitat
TEXAS
ARIZ.
NEW MEX.    .

Length: 3 1/4 -- 4 1/4 ft.
Weight: 10 -- 25 LBS.
Source: The Mammal Guide by R. Palmer


Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 14:17:33 -0800
From: Barry Kent MacKay <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: 3 arrested in fracas over sale of turtles
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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3 arrested in fracas over sale of turtles
THE TORONTO STAR, Friday, February 13, 1998
By Theresa Ebden, Staff Reporter

An animal welfare inspector says she and her partner were assaulted and
trapped in their truck after investigating a "horrific" case of cruelty
in a downtown food market.

Debby Hunt said yesterday she and Kathy Kellner were investigating Big
Land Farms market on Spadina Ave. near Dundas St. W. when she found a
pair of dismembered and disease-ridden two-foot-long Florida soft-shell
turtles.

Bits of them were being chopped off and sold as food.

When the two unarmed and uniformed officers tried to remove the turtles
for emergency veterinary care, they said they were accosted and confined
in their truck for half an hour.

"We were out on the sidewalk and I was grabbed by the arm twice by a
woman.  One time she twisted my arm right back," said Hunt, who has
worked for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
for seven years.

Hunt said two men broke into the truck and looked for the turtles.
Meanwhile, a woman stood in front of the truck and refused to move.

"We were not allowed to move.  They were slamming and banging their
hands on the windows beside us...We called 911."

Police arrived and cleared the crowd.

The turtles are being cared for at the Metro Zoo, but are not expected
to live, Hunt said.

"We're both taken aback.  The vets at the zoo said it was just
horrendous, one of the turtle's whole face was rotted away, and the
whole bottom (of the shell) is completely infected, and they're selling
these animals for meat.  It's disgusting," she said.

"Sometimes body parts are just cut off to eat, and they're just thrown
back into a dirty tank."

Employees at the food market refused comment.

Lai Lai Lam, 30, is charged with assaulting a peace officer, and two
counts of obstructing a police officer.

Cuu Dang, 40 and Heang Lam, 44, are each charged with mischief over
$5,000 and two counts each of obstructing a peace officer.

-30-

Barry Kent MacKay
International Program Director
Animal Protection Institute
http://www.api4animals.org

Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 07:35:33 +1100
From: Lynette Shanley <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: AR related studies.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I completed a Sydney University course titles "Humanity and Animality". It
is a 2nd year philosophy course and is run by a philospher very sympathic
to the plight of animals.

It is very heavy going at times though. Stacks of reading and stacks of
thinking.


Lynette Shanley
International Primate Protection League - Australia
PO Box 60
PORTLAND  NSW  2847
AUSTRALIA
Phone/Fax [phone] 554026
EMAIL [e-mail]
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 16:51:57 -0500
From: "D'Amico, Ann-Marie" <[e-mail]>
To: "'[e-mail]'" <[e-mail]>
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>


Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 17:53:34 -0800
From: Mesia Quartano <[e-mail]>
To: "[e-mail]" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (US) Consumer Reports To Retest Pet Food
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Consumer Reports To Retest Pet Food
(AP Online; 02/13/98)

NEW YORK (AP)   Consumer Reports wants people to ignore its advice about
pet food for now.

In a rare step, the magazine is telling readers to disregard its
February cover story on pet food nutrition. Consumer Reports agreed to
new tests after The Iams Co. correctly refuted the magazine's findings
that some of the company's dog and cat foods are low in potassium.

Consumers Reports said it will retest 39 products from several
manufacturers that were initially found to have low potassium or other
nutritional problems. Those results will be released in the magazine's
May issue and on Consumer
Reports' Internet site as soon as it becomes available, possibly next
month.

"We are going to make sure that everyone who might have read that
initial erroneous account gets the word," Marc Kaplan, a spokesman for
publisher
Consumers Union, said Friday. The nonprofit watchdog group disclosed the
error last week.

"We are acting in the same manner we are hoping any of our manufacturers
would respond should they be confronted with an error or a mistake in
their products or services," Kaplan said.

The 62-year-old magazine last fixed a testing error in a 1979 article
about condoms, he said.

Iams, the nation's seventh-largest pet food maker, was pleased Consumer
Reports acted so quickly to fix its mistake.

"We felt that when we brought the issue to their attention that Consumer
Reports listened because we take ... animal nutrition very seriously,"
said spokesman Bryan Brown.

The Dayton, Ohio-based company makes Iams and Eukanuba dog and cat
foods.


Consumer Reports' Internet site is http://www.ConsumerReports.org.

**********************
end of article
**********************

Consumer Reports is published by Consumers Union, "an independent,
nonprofit testing and information-gathering organization, serving only
the consumer."

Consumers Union of United States, Inc.
101 Truman Ave.
Yonkers, NY 10703
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]


If you haven't already done so, please contact Consumer Reports. Let
them know that, if they are truly concerned about the consumer, they
should be reporting on what is really in pet food instead of appeasing
IAMS.

API Report: What's Really in Pet Food
http://www.api4animals.org/Petfood.htm





Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 15:56:10 -0800
From: carol <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Basinger Takes on Ringling Bros
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Reuters) - Actress Kim Basinger has
 asked the U.S. Agriculture Department to shut down The Ringling
 Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus following the death of a baby
 elephant last month, an animal rights group said today. Mary Beth
 Sweetland, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment
 of Animals, said the actress had written to Agriculture Secretary
 Daniel Glickman after she learned of the animal's death. Basinger,
 who was nominated this week for an Academy Award for best
 supporting actress for her role in the film "L.A. Confidential,"
 wants the Agriculture Department to suspend the license of the
 nation's largest circus until the elephant's death is investigated. A
 spokesman for the Agriculture Department in Washington said
 Glickman had not yet responded to the letter.

--

"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons.  They were not
made for humans anymore then blacks were made for whites or women for
men."  ~Alice Walker

http://www.envirolink.org/arrs/paws/


Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 08:41:19 +0800
From: bunny <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (Australia)GE crop Submissions Wanted
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Forward FYI

Still time to make submissions as GMAC meets 27/2.

Dick Copeman's comprehensive submission to GMAC foolows.

NB: concerning our comment about the lack of ecological expertise on GMAC,
the secretariat has informed us as follows:
>
>     Please note that GMAC's current membership includes a plant ecologist
>     (Professor Byron Lamont, Personal Chair in Plant Ecology, Curtin
>     University) and a microbial ecologist (Professor Staffan Kjelleberg,
>     School of Microbiology and Immunology, University of New South Wales).
>
Best wishes,

Bob Phelps
_______________________________________________________________________
>The Secretary
>Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee
>GPO Box 2183
>CANBERRA ACT 2601
>
>Dear Sir/Madam,
>
>re: GR-5: General release of glufosinate ammonium tolerant hybrid canola
>cultivars.
>
>Please ask the committee to consider the following submission on this
>proposed  release. I realise that it is past the closing date for submissions
>but it only came to my attention a few  days ago.
>
>Yours sincerely,
>
>
>
>Dr Dick Copeman
>Eco_Consumer Co_ordinator
>Consumers' Federation of Australia
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>INTRODUCTION
>
>If this application for general release of glufosinate ammonium tolerant
>canola is approved, it would be the first genetically engineered (GE) food
>crop to be grown commercially in Australia.  Widespread growing of this food
>crop could lead to a range of potential impacts as outlined below.
>
>We contend that GMAC on its own cannot fully assess all these potential
>impacts. The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA), the National
>Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRA) and
>Environment Australia (EA) all have statutory responsibilities that are
>affected by this application and it is essential that they also assess this
>application and approve it before the crop is released commercially.
>
>
>HEALTH IMPACTS
>
>Most canola is grown for the production of food grade oil, while the pulp is
>used in animal feed. The oil is commonly used for margarines and vegetable
>oils and derivatives are used throughout the range of cosmetic and detergent
>products(1).
>
>Potential health impacts could come from greater exposure of farm workers
>and the public generally to glufosinate spray, from residues of glufosinate
>in the canola oil or from new allergenic proteins expressed by the GE canola
>plant.
>
>Occupational and public exposure
>
>Glufosinate causes substantial but temporary eye injury, is a mild skin
>irritant, and is harmful if inhaled. In experimental animals it causes
>central nervous system stimulation leading to tremors and convulsions.
>
>In an assessment of glufosinate tolerant corn and soya, the USEPA has noted
>that results of an acute dermal toxicity study indicate that there is dermal
>absorption of glufosinate ammonium. (2) The Agency noted, however, that it
>does not have enough data on dermal absorption to determine the risk from
>exposure to children and adults, nor determine the aggregate risk to the
>public exposed by these non-food uses of this pesticide. It also said that a
>study of possible carcinogenicity from chronic feeding of glufosinate to
>rats was unacceptable because a high enough dose was not tested. Without an
>acceptable rat oncogenicity study the Agency felt that the risk from the
>many non-dietary uses cannot be determined precisely.  For these reasons, it
>set time-limited tolerances with an expiry date in mid 1999, by which time
>it has asked for further studies to be completed.
>
>Glufosinate residues in food
>At present, glufosinate is not used on canola in Australia and there is
>therefore no Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) set for its use on canola. Thus
>canola foods that currently contain no residues of glufosinate will in
>future contain such residues.
>
>MRLs set for other herbicide tolerant crops such as glyphosate tolerant
>soyabeans and glufosinate tolerant corn and soyabean have been considerably
>higher than previous MRLs for non-GEcrops. The US EPA admits that its
>tolerances for corn and soybean commodities are greater than the MRLs
>established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission because glufosinate
>ammonium is applied as a post-emergence herbicide in the culture of
>transgenic crops whereas the Codex MRLs are for pre-emergence application.
>Studies showed the level of residues from the post-emergence use was
>greater.(2)
>
>It is likely therefore that a similarly higher MRL will be set for
>glufosinate resistant canola. In view of the lack of information on the
>carcinogenic potential of long-term ingestion of glufosinate residues, the
>prospect of increased glufosinate residues in foods made from GE canola is
>worrying to consumers.
>
>Allergenic potential
>
>The protein expressed by the modified gene in the glufosinate tolerant
>canola is a novel protein with no history of ingestion by humans. As such it
>has an unknown potential for allergenicity. There are currently no foolproof
>tests for allergenicity for such proteins, short of feeding the protein to
>human volunteers and seeing what happens.
>
>Proof that there is absolutely no protein contamination of the canola oil
>after processing should be required before the product is released
>commercially.
>
>
>ENVIRONMENT
>
>Effects of increased glufosinate use.
>
>The US EPA states that glufosinate ammonium formulations are toxic at very
>low concentrations to many aquatic and estuarine invertebrates (3,4).
>
>Safety directions require that it not be applied directly to water, to areas
>where surface water is present or to intertidal areas below the mean high
>water mark, and that spray equipment not be cleaned or disposed of in a
>manner that will contaminate water resources or arable land. It is also
>stated that use of glufosinate in areas with coarse soils and high water
>tables may result in groundwater contamination.
>
>It is highly likely therefore that damaging effects on aquatic life and
>contamination of groundwater will increase with the increased use of
>glufosinate that will occur if this canola is approved.
>
>Weeds
>
>There are a number of ways in which release of this GE canola could increase
>the weed problem in Australia:
>
>a) Increased use of glufosinate could lead to selection of resistant weeds
>that arise naturally. While there have been no reports to date of
>glufosinate resistant weeds developing, the increased use of the herbicide
>that will follow release of crops resistant to it will increase selection
>pressure for such resistance to develop. This would be particularly likely
>if crops that
>are commonly rotated with canola, such as wheat, were also engineered to be
>tolerant of glufosinate.
>
>b) The altered genes could be transfered from the transgenic canola plants
>to related weedy species. A number of members ofthe Brassica genus and the
>Brassiceae Tribe are weeds. In Australia, Raphanus raphanistrum is the most
>significant weed related to B. napus.
>
>Recent studies have shown that transgenic canola is able to crossbreed with
>weedy relatives, making those weeds also resistant to herbicides (5).
>Brassica napus plants are known to outcross up to 30% with other plants of
>the same species, and potentially with plants of the species B. rapa, B.
>juncea,B. carinata, B. nigra, Diplotaxis muralis, Raphanus raphanistrum, and
>Erucastrum gallicum. Research in Scotland has found the genes from the GE
>canola 2.5 km away from test sites (6).
>
>The prospect of common weeds becoming agriculture pests or"superweeds" is
>very real and may lead to more toxic chemicals being used to control them.
>Even the proponent company, AgrEvo, agrees that resistant weeds are likely,
>suggesting that "...the farmer can always control these resistant weeds with
>other products" (7).
>
>It is possible that, if planted on a large scale, all canola will end up
>contaminated with the glufosinate tolerant gene so that consumers could
>never be sure that they were not consuming produce from transgenic canola.
>
>Organic canola products could also not be guaranteed. Organic standards do
>not allow for the presence of genetically modified materials in organic
>produce so farmers would be unable to produce organic canola.
>
>c) Canola commonly spreads into other crops as a weed. These will be
>resistant to glufosinate so they may have to be controlled using alternative
>herbicides.
>
>d) Recent reports have shown that glufosinate is not as effective as first
>thought, with serious weeds such as thistles and couch grass not being
>killed off. This has led to other herbicides having to be used as well (8).
>
>e) If other herbicide resistant crops are released, crop volunteers with a
>combination of novel resistances to different herbicides could develop. This
>could result in the loss of the use of these herbicides and any of their
>potential benefits.
>
>When GMAC approved experimental release of glufosinate tolerant canola in
>1996, the following statement was included in GMAC's assessment report:-
>
>"GMAC's conclusion was that any future unrestricted release of glufosinate
>ammonium resistant canola would be likely to lead to development of
>glufosinate ammonium resistance in weeds in the long term. However, expert
>advice provided to GMAC has indicated that this would be agronomically
>manageable."
>
>We assume that `agronomically manageable' means using another herbicide and
>possibly extra cultivation, neither of which is desirable from the point of
>view of consumer health or long term agricultural sustainability.
>
>The report went on to say:
>
>"GMAC's view is that ultimate general release of herbicide-resistant crops
>should only take place in the context of a national coordinated strategy for
>the deployment of herbicide-resistant crops. GMAC will be cooperating
>withthe CRC for Weed Management Systems to draft preliminary guidelines as
>the basis for a national strategy. These will be provided to agricultural
>industries, growers and other interested parties for comment before they are
>finalised. The guidelines may require that management practices for control
>of weeds are put
>in place before final commercial release of a herbicide-resistant crop."
>
>We endorse the concerns reflected in this statement. We have seen no
>evidence, however, two years after the statement was made, of any national
>strategy for the deployment of herbicide-resistant crops, nor even of any
>draft strategy circulated for comment by interested parties. We would
>certainly wish to be consulted about such a strategy.
>
>
>OTHER PESTS
>
>A study in Canada showed that some disease-causing fungi are highly
>resistant to glufosinate (12), whilst important fungi that protect plants
>from disease are highly susceptible to glufosinate (13). Canola has a wide
>range of fungal pests(14). It is possible that widespread use of glufosinate
>will increase the need to use fungicides.
>
>
>OTHER EFFECTS
>
>Canola pollen may pollute honey
>
>Honeybees are the primary pollinators of canola (19), and honeybee ecology
>shows that given a large nectar and pollensource, such as fields of canola
>in flower, bees will tend to stick to that one source (20). Thus, honey from
>a hive close to transgenic canola fields will probably contain large
>quantities of pollen containing transgenic material. A study by researchers
>at the University of Leicester has found that in honey, pollen DNA and
>proteins can remain intact
>after seven weeks (21). It is possible that novel proteins from the
>transgenic canola could be present in honey that could have allergenic or
>toxic effects for humans.
>
>Spread of Antibiotic Resistance
>
>It is thought that DNA fragments of the antibiotic resistance gene inserted
>into the glufosinate tolerant canola can survive the digestion process (24).
>Thus there is a legitimate worry that antibiotic resistance will be passed
>further up the food chain. Problems of antibiotic resistance of pathogens is
>already a problem in medicine. Including antibiotic resistance genes in GE
>crops would appear to be both dangerous and unnecessary and may lead to
>valuable drugs
>being less effective on both animals and humans.
>
>
>ECONOMIC
>
>It has been estimated that the production of glufosinate resistant crops
>could increase sales of this product by $200million per year (16).
>
>There is evidence that companies have developed herbicide resistant crops as
>a way to increase the markets of existing herbicides rather than working to
>develop newer and safer ones, because "the development costs of a new
>herbicide are up to 20 times higher than those for a new (plant) variety" (17).
>
>Using patenting laws, such new crops are usually owned by large
>agro-chemical companies thus creating conditions wherethey have a bigger say
>on how food is produced. Patents may force farmers to buy the seed and
>herbicide as a pair, thus excluding competitors, and increasing farmers
>dependence upon the agrochemical companies. Examples of such pairings
>thatalready occur include Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans and its
>glyphosate (Roundup) herbicide. Whether this benefits farmers is highly
>debatable.
>
>
>LABELLING AND CONSUMERS' RIGHT TO CHOOSE
>
>Genetically engineered canola oils will not be required to be labelled.
>ANZFA appears to be delaying the implementation of its in-principle
>agreement of August 1996 that all genetically engineered foods would be
>assessed on a case-by-case basis and labelled.  Consumers not wanting to
>purchase genetically engineered products will be unable to choose to do so.
>
>CONCLUSION
>
>Release of herbicide resistant crops such as glufosinate tolerant canola
>will inevitably result in widespread and uncontainable genetic pollution of
>other plants and massive increase in the use of herbicides.
>
>As a society, we would be mad to allow such negative and irreversible
>impacts to occur, particularly when no case for the benefits of these crops
>has been put forward.
>
>
>REFERENCES
>
>1. Kings, 1997. http://www.kings.co.uk/oilseed.htm
>2. U. S. EPA (1997), Glufosinate Ammonium; Tolerances forResidues, 62 Fed.
>Reg. 5333- 5338 (Feb. 5, 1997), 40 CFR Part180, [PP-5F4578/R-2277;
>FRL-5585-8], RIN 2070-AB78
>3. U.S. EPA. 1990. Estuarine invertebrate toxicity test. HOE039866
>technical. Data Evaluation record cited in Cox, C. 1996. Herbicide
>Factsheet: Glufosinate. J. of Pesticide Reform Vol.16 (4) pp.15-19 1996 .
>4. U.S. EPA. 1986. Aquatic invertebrate acute toxicity. Soluble concentrate
>200g/l. Data Evaluation Record. cited in Cox 1996 opcit.
>5. Mikkelson, T.R., B. Andersen and R.B. Jorgensen. 1996. The risk of crop
>transgene spread. Nature Vol. 380, 7 March, p.31
>6. Timmons, A.M. et al 1996. Risks from transgenic crops. Nature Vol 380. p 487
>7. AgrEvo Homepage: http://www.agrevo.com/biotech/QA/
>8. Pesticide News No 27. Gaps in Basta's effectiveness? Sept1997.
>9. Ahmad, I., J. Bisset and D. Malloch 1995. Effect of phosphinothricin on
>nitrogen metabolism of Tricherma species and its implications for their
>control of phytopathogenic fungi. Pest. Biochem. Physiol. Vol. 53. pp.49-59
>10. Ahmad, I. and D. Malloch. 1995. Interaction of soilmicroflora with the
>bioherbicide phosphinothricin. Agric Ecosys. Environ. Vol. 54. pp.165-174
>11. UK Pesticide Guide 1997. (ed. R. Whitehead). pp.91-92
>12. Lackey, J. Rapeseed. USDA APHIS. Biotechnology Permits Document
>13. Seeley, T.D. 1985. Honeybee Ecology. Princeton University Press,
>Princeton, New Jersey.
>14. Eady, C., D. Twell, and K. Lindsey. 1995. Pollen viability and transgene
>expression following storage in honey.Transgenic Research Vol. 4. pp.226-231
>15. R. Shubbert et al. "Ingested foreign (phage M13) DNAsurvives transiently
>in the gastrointestinal tract and entersthe bloodstream of mice". Mol. Gen.
>Genet 242 pp 495-504
>16. Goldberg, R.1990. Biotechnology's Bitter Harvest. Biotechnology Working
>Group. USA
>17. European Parliament Commission on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1986.
>Draft report on the use of Biotechnology. Brussels.
>
>Dick Copeman
>Eco-Consumer
>PO Box 12046, Elizabeth St, Brisbane 4002
>Ph [phone], Fax [phone]
>
>


Bob Phelps
Director
Australian GeneEthics Network
c/- ACF 340 Gore Street, Fitzroy. 3065 Australia
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] {Int Code (613)}
email: [e-mail]
WWW: http://www.peg.apc.org/~acfgenet  (under construction)


=====================================================================
========
                   /`\   /`\    Rabbit Information Service,
Tom, Tom,         (/\ \-/ /\)   P.O.Box 30,
The piper's son,     )6 6(      Riverton,
Saved a pig        >{= Y =}<    Western Australia 6148
And away he run;    /'-^-'\
So none could eat  (_)   (_)    email: [e-mail]
The pig so sweet    |  .  |
Together they ran   |     |}    http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
Down the street.    \_/^\_/    (Rabbit Information Service website updated
                                frequently)

Jesus was most likely a vegetarian... why aren't you? Go to
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4620/essene.htm
for more information.

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
       - Voltaire

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 19:56:13 EST
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: Animal Protester Throws Pie at P&G Chief
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
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Animal Protester Throws Pie at Procter&Gamble Chief

Reuters (via CNN)
13-FEB-98

CINCINNATI, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The chairman of Procter & Gamble Co. had
a pie thrown his face by an animal rights activist in what the company
said on Friday was an unwarranted assault on its animal testing record.

A woman who said she represented People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA) hurled the pie at Procter chairman John Pepper on
Thursday night during a ceremony in Columbus, Ohio, where he received a
public service award from the governor.

The pie-thrower was arrested and charged with disrupting a meeting.
Pepper wiped the pie off his face and accepted the award.

The U.S. consumer products giant, which among other items makes
toothpaste, toilet paper and medicines, said in a statement the incident
was an unwarranted assault on a company which had tried to find
alternatives to using animals in laboratory tests.

"We will not be deterred from leading the way in developing and using
alternatives to animal testing which can prove that new ingredients are
safe for people," Pepper said in a statement issued on Friday.

"It's tough to understand why PETA won't join us in the important work,
despite our repeated invitations to do so," he said, adding that he
would not press charges against the pie-thrower.

The company said it had reduced its use of laboratory animals for
ingredient testing but that there were some cases in which there were no
viable substitutes.
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 19:58:59 EST
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Kim Basinger Wants Ringling Bros. Circus Closed
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

Actress Kim Basinger Wants Ringling Bros. Circus Closed

Reuters (via CNN)
13-FEB-98

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Reuters) - Actress Kim Basinger has asked the U.S.
Agriculture Department to shut down The Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus following the death of a baby elephant last month, an
animal rights group said Friday.

Mary Beth Sweetland, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals (PETA), said the actress had written to Agriculture Secretary
Daniel Glickman on Monday after she learned of the animal's death.

``This elephant most likely suffered more anguish and misery than we
will ever know,'' Basinger wrote.

Basinger, who was nominated this week for an Academy Award for best
supporting actress for her role in the film ``L.A. Confidential,'' wants
the Agriculture Department to suspend the license of the nation's
largest circus to exhibit animals until the elephant's death is
investigated.

The baby Asian elephant, named Kenny, died Jan. 25 in Jacksonville after
performing two shows the day before. Circus employees notified PETA of
the elephants death, Sweetland said.

``I don't think Ringling Bros. has any idea how many of their own people
are offended by this,'' Sweetland said.

Circus veterinarian Gary West said Kenny died from a gastrointestinal
infection, but the exact cause of the illness was not known.

A circus spokesman said handlers allowed the elephant to perform only
after he had been treated by West. The veterinarian said Kenny had
appeared to improve after his treatment, showing no serious signs of
illness just 36 hours before he died.

Basinger is a long-time critic of the treatment of circus animals and
has been working with PETA on the issue.

Last summer, she showed Glickman a tape of an elephant being trained to
salute as part of her campaign.

A spokesman for the Agriculture Department in Washington said Glickman
had not yet responded to the letter.

Reuters/Variety
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 18:21:29 EST
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Cc: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: ar-related studies
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

<<hello, thanks to all who responded to my inquiry re: ar-related studies.
here's what i learned..>>

Regarding animal RIGHTS courses, may I strongly recommend Attorney Steven
Wise's EXCELLENT course "Animal Rights Law" at Vermont Law School.

The course, apart from being an excellent law course, offers a thorough
history of  perceptions on animals which is appropriate, even for the non-law
student to audit.  Furthermore, the Vermont Law School campus, renowned for
its excellent environmentalist law course, is set in the idyllic white
mountain region of Vermont.  The course last for two weeks and will be offered
this summer.

The reading is heavy, the course discussion provocative and no matter how
advanced an activist, you will learn new concepts, new way to analyze animals
and the law and you might find this course to be the best two weeks of your
activist career.

D'Arcy Kemnitz

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 21:03:56 -0500
From: "Bina Robinson" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>
Subject: Aspartame Hurts Animals, Too
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
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Earth Island Journal, Winter 1997-98

Letter from Alix Fano, Exec. Dir. of Medical Research Modernization
Committee
PO Box 6036  Grand Central Station NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10163-6018

Jennifer Cohen is to be commended for her innovative science project which
exposed the dangers of aspartame--the artificial sweetener known as
Nutrasweet ("How Diet Soda Turns to Poison" Spring '97)  But it's a shame
she was lured into citing cruel and misleading animal tests to make her
case.  There are numerous controlled human studies that show that aspartame
causes adverse health problems.

Force-feeding primates and other nonhuman animals unrealistically high
doses of chemicals is a common practice in toxicity tests.  Rodents, like
the Sprague-Dawley strain used in the studies Jennifer mentioned,   are
genetically bred to be cancer-prone and have high rates of spontaneous
tumors.  Differences in species and individual biology and metabolismmake
results from animal tests unreliable at best.

Government agencies cannot be trusted to protect our health.  It is up to
all of us to reduce our dependence on, and consumption of synthetic
chemicals.  -30-

Alix Fano is the author of "LETHAL LAWS Animal Testing, Human Health and
Environmental Policy" published by Zed Books, London and distributed in the
USA by St. Martin's Press.  Available in book stores and from
<[e-mail]>

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 21:20:09 -0500
From: "Bina Robinson" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Primacy of Research on Humansl
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
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THE WASHINGTON POST  February 12, 1998  Letter to the Editor