The following report was developed by Dr. Dale E. Bauman,
Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor, Cornell University.
Dr. Bauman is an eminent dairy scientist, internationally respected,
and currently serves as Chair of the National Academy of Sciences
Board on Agriculture.
Although most of us have read some of the reports cited below, the
overwhelming body of evidence and prominent stature of the
agencies and organizations cited is truly impressive.
This report is being provided to you as a reference to the facts
surrounding the human health aspects of BST. - BASIL
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HUMAN HEALTH ASPECTS OF BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN (BST)
With the approval of bovine somatotropin for use in dairy cows, some
of the public discussion has focussed on the safety of the animal products
for human consumption. In particular, Michael Hansen of Consumer Policy
Institute and Jeremy Rifkin's "Pure Food Campaign" have implied that food
safety issues have not been addressed and that there is widespread concern
in the scientific and medical communities. There are areas of biology in
which knowledgeable experts disagree, but safety of foods from bST-treated
animals is not one of them. The following represents a synoposis of
findings from all medical and scientific groups that have evaluated the
human health aspects of bST use.
1. FDA Article entitled "Bovine Growth Hormone: Human Food Safety
Evaluation", August 1990
In an unprecedented action, FDA published a peer reviewed
article in Science Vol. 249:875-884 which included much of the
published and unpublished data used in their safety evaluation
"The data evaluated by the FDA document the safety of food
products from animals treated with rbGH."
2. Regulatory Agencies World-Wide
In addition to FDA, regulatory agencies in over 30 other
countries have also completed the human safety evaluations
and concluded that meat and milk from bST-treated animals
are safe for human consumption.
Countries include: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Commonwealth of Independent States,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Gambia, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia,
Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain,
United Kingdom, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
3. NIH Technology Assessment Conference, December 1990
(study requested by US Congress; published by NIH and also
published in Journal of American Medical Association
Vol. 265:1423-1425)
"composition and nutritional value of milk from rBST-treated
cows is essentially the same as that of milk from untreated
cows."
"meat and milk from rBST-treated cows are as safe as that
from untreated cows."
4. American Medical Association, August 1990
(review of bST safety published in Journal of American Medical
Association, Vol. 264:1003-1005 and 1028)
milk is safe - no qualifications
"... it is both inappropriate and wrong for special interest
groups to play on the health and safety fears of the public to
further their own ends."
produced a television program broadcast nationally to explain
facts on bST to health professionals and the general public
5. Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services,
February 1992
(audit of FDA/bST requested by U.S. House Committee on Government
Operations)
"research was conducted to demonstrate that bST is not harmful
to humans"
"no evidence that Monsanto or FDA engaged in data manipulation
or suppression"
6. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 1991
(review of bST safety published in Pediatrics, Vol. 88:1056-1057)
milk and meat from bST-treated cows safe - no qualifications
"milk derived from cows treated with rbSTP (recombinant bovine
somatotropin) is safe for the human infant and adult and is
nutritionally similar to ordinary milk"
7. OTA Report entitled "U.S. Dairy Industry at a Crossroad:
Biotechnology and Policy Choices, May 1991
(study conducted at request of US Congress)
"claims have been made that bST is unsafe in consumer food
products ---- This report concludes just the opposite"
Composition and manufacturing characteristics of milk not
altered
Somatotropin is not active if consumed orally because it is
digested just like all other dietary proteins. Must be
injected to be biologically active.
Bovine somatotropin differs slightly in structure from the
human form and does not elicit any of its normal biological
actions in humans even if accidently injected.
8. World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, Joint Committee, June 1992
bST use presents no health concerns
9. United Kingdom Medicines Commission, December 1992
bST meets all criteria of safety, quality and efficiency
10. EEC Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, January 1993
bST presents no "undue risk to the health and welfare of the
treated animals" and meets all criteria for human safety
11. State Medical Society of Wisconsin, January 1990
(study requested by Wisconsin Legislature)
milk safe for humans, no qualifications
"... synthetic bovine somatotropin (BST), also known as
bovine growth hormone, produces no known unsafe biological,
hormonal or hazardous effects on humans, either directly
or indirectly through alteration of milk or meat."
12. American Council on Science and Health, September 1990
(review on bST safety published in booklet)
Milk is safe for humans - no qualifications
"Although the opponents of BST have attempted to cloud the
issue with non-science based concerns, the fact remains
that BST is a safe and effective means of increasing our
nations milk supply."
13. Endocrine Society Clinical Review entitled "The Efficacy and
Safety of Growth Hormone for Animal Agriculture, May 1991
(review of bST safety published in Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism Vol. 72:957A-957C)
Milk and meat from GH-treated animals are safe - no qualifications
14. American Dietetic Association, February 1993
their review confirmed the human safety of milk from bST
treated cows and effectiveness of the technology in improving
efficiency of milk production
because they are the nation's largest organization of food
and nutrition experts, they have established a toll-free
hot line (1-800-366-1655) to answer consumer questions on
bST
15. Institute of Food Technologies, May 1993
milk composition is unaffected by bST and there is no known
health or safety risk to humans
16. Federation of American Societies of Food Animal Science, May 1993
(represents the U.S. scientific societies related to animal
agriculture - American Dairy Science Association, American Meat
Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, and
Poultry Science Association)
"no reason to label foods from cows receiving bST because there
are no safety concerns or product composition changes"
17. Council on Agricultural Science and Technology, May 1993
(educational organization of 31 scientific societies relating
to food and agriculture)
milk and meat from animals given bST are safe for human consumption
18. Food and Nutrition Science Alliance, January 1994
(represents the U.S. scientific societies relating to food
technology and human nutrition - American Institute of Nutrition
American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Food
Technologies and American Dietetic Association)
milk from bST treated cows is not different and poses no possible
health risks
voluntary labels on dairy products claiming to be bST-free could
be misleading because they are "neither meaningful" nor "verifiable"
19. White House report on "Use of Bovine Somatotropin (bST) in the
United States: Its Potential Effects", January 1994
(study undertaken as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconcilation
Act of 1993 at the request of several senators who had publically
criticized bST including Senators Feingold (WI) and Leahy (VT))
"no evidence that bST poses a health threat to humans or animals. It
has been studied more than any other animal drug, been found safe by
FDA and many other scientific bodies in the U.S., Europe, and around
the world"
20. International Dairy Federation, February 1994
(review of bST technology on a world-wide basis was commissioned by
IDF (39 member countries) and approved by the scientific committees
of member countries)
concluded that, without exception, medical groups, governmental
regulatory agencies and scientific societies have reviewed bST and
found that food products from bST-treated animals are safe for human
consumption.
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BASIL R. EASTWOOD USDA-Ext. Service Ph. (202) 720-6486
Prog. Leader-Dairy 3334 South Bldg. Fax (202) 720-7714
Washington DC 20250 BEASTWOOD@ESUSDA.GOV