On Wednesday, December 15, 1999, the Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a national health advocacy group, filed a
federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and
the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 1999
Doctors Sue Glickman and Shalala
Financial Conflicts of Interest,
Racial Bias on Diet Panel
Washington, D.C.—The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
(PCRM), a national health advocacy group, filed a federal lawsuit today
against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS).
PCRM is charging the government with violating the law that bans undue
influence in federal advisory committees. The D.C.-based doctor's group
is concerned about the activities of a powerful 11-member federal
advisory
committee, appointed to revise the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Along with the Food Guide Pyramid, these Guidelines provide nutritional
advice for all Americans and form the basis of all federal food
programs,
including the National School Lunch Program which feeds 26 million
children
a day.
"We have uncovered evidence that at least six of these committee members
have had or currently have significant ties to the meat, dairy, or egg
industries," says Mindy Kursban, PCRM staff counsel. "And we have good
reason to believe the government has intentionally withheld documents
revealing conflicts of interest."
{THIS IS REALLY SAD}
"It doesn't take a physician to diagnose the problem with this
committee," says PCRM president Neal D. Barnard, M.D. "Clearly, its
work—and the public's health—has been compromised. As health
professionals concerned with the staggering levels of illness in this
country, these industry ties are particularly hard to swallow."
PCRM is also suing the USDA and the DHHS for promoting dietary
guidelines that undermine minority health. In a national campaign
launched last spring, PCRM is asking the government to acknowledge that
minorities suffer from higher rates of prostate cancer, diabetes, and
other chronic diseases than Caucasians and to promote diets low enough
in fat and rich enough in plant products to reduce their risk of these
conditions.
Additionally, PCRM is asking the government to make dairy strictly
optional, acknowledging that the majority of African-, Hispanic-,
Asian-, and Native-Americans are lactose-intolerant, and that they may
wish to choose other sources of calcium.
PCRM's proposals for changing the Guidelines have been endorsed by the
Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust; the NAACP; former U.S.
Surgeon General M. Joycelyn Elders, M.D.; Martin L. King, III;
Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.; Muhammad Ali; and many other community
leaders and minority health advocates.
For interviews with PCRM medical and legal experts, as well as video
footage of the news conference, please contact Simon Chaitowitz at
202-686-2210, ext. 309. SimonChai@aol.com
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a Washington,
D.C.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and focused on
preventive medicine, particularly good nutrition, and higher standards
in research.
To learn more, please visit:
http://www.pcrm.org/news/lawsuit.html
-- Happy Solstice, Prosperous New Century! _______________________________________ «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤» ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Recycler DaveA remodeler, drummer, farmer, soapmaker
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