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Sweetener 'linked' to leukaemias (NutraSweet)

conjur

No Lifer
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4683371.stm
Fresh doubts about the safety of an artificial sweetener have been raised by Italian scientists who have linked its use to leukaemias in rodents.

Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and is used throughout the world in low-calorie drinks and foods.

Regulators say existing studies show it is safe, but will look at the European Journal of Clinical Oncology study.

But they said it was unlikely that the sweetener was harmful to humans to the same extent as in rats.

Concerns have been raised about the aspartame in the past, but an analysis of 500 papers by UK regulators in 2002 concluded there was no threat to consumers.

The Food Standards Agency said: "The European Food Safety Authority intends to undertake an urgent assessment of this study to establish whether there are any implications for human health.

"We will study EFSA's opinion carefully and consider what, if any, action may be required."

Dr Elaine Vickers, cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "If a risk to humans does exist, it will almost certainly be very small.

"However, we welcome the news that the EFSA will undertake an urgent assessment of this work."

The study

Dr Morando Soffritti and colleagues at the Cancer Research Centre in Bologna fed eight-week-old rats varying concentrations of aspartame.

Compared with control rats given no sweetener, many of the female rats in the experiment developed lymphomas or leukaemias - the risk increasing with the dose of aspartame.

The researchers say their study raises concerns about the levels of aspartame to which humans can be exposed and, therefore, "urgent re-examination" of aspartame's safety is needed, "especially to protect children".

The existing European Food Safety Authority safety assessment for aspartame led to the setting of an Acceptable Daily Intake, or ADI.

This is an estimate of the amount of an additive that could be routinely consumed every day over a lifetime with no appreciable health risk.

'Safe' intake

Aspartame's ADI is set at 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. This is equivalent to 2,800 milligrams for an average British adult.

For an average three-year-old child the amount is of the order of 600 milligrams.

An adult would have to consume 14 cans of a sugar-free drink every day before reaching the ADI, assuming the sweetener was used in the drink at the maximum permitted level.

In practice, most drinks use aspartame in combination with other sweeteners so that the level is considerably lower, says the FSA.

Previous work by the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Health showed that aspartame intakes were considerably below the recommended maximum level, even among children and diabetics who consume large quantities of sugar-free drinks.
Ayup...that wondrous chemical Reagan and Rumsfeld railroaded thru the FDA. NutraSweet had been denied for years and years by the FDA. Then, Rumsfeld took hold of G.D. Searle and within months of Reagan's new FDA appointee in 1981 had NutraSweet approved.



Racketeering (Rico)Charges filed Against NutraSweet, Dr. Moser of NS, American Diabetes Assn and Monsanto
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2004/9/emw159017.htm
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) September 17, 2004 --
SENT AS A COURTESY OF:
WORLD NATURAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION
http://www.wnho.net - Click on Racketeering Banner

National Press Conference held Thursday 9/16 at
Sheraton Grand Hotel, Sacramento, Ca

Filed In: The United States District Court for the Northern District of California
Plaintiff: Joe Bellon, individually and as a representative of a class of plaintiffs
Damages $350,000,000

Click to see video: Rumsfeld/Aspartame
http://www.soundandfury.tv/Pages/Rumsfeld.html

A RACKETEER INFLUENCED & CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS [RICO]complaint has been filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The suit charges the defendants with manufacturing and marketing a deadly neurotoxin unfit for human consumption, while they assured the pubic that aspartame (also known as NutraSweet/Equal) contaminated products are safe and healthful, even for children and pregnant women. Present Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is mentioned throughout the lawsuit.

As evidence, an explosive affidavit from a former translator for the G.D. Searle Co - the developer of aspartame - will be made public at a National Press Conference on Thursday, September 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel, 1230 J Street, Sacramento, California 95814, phone (916) 447-1700.

For 16 years, the FDA denied approval of aspartame because of compelling evidence of its contributing to brain tumors and other serious disabilities. Donald Rumsfeld, present Secretary of Defense in the Bush Administration, left President Ford's administration as Chief of Staff to become the CEO of aspartame producer G D Searle Co. in 1981. Shortly after, Rumsfeld became the CEO, and the day after President Reagan took office, aspartame was quickly approved by FDA Commissioner Arthur Hayes over the objections of the FDA's Public Board of Inquiry. Hayes had been recently appointed by the Reagan Administration. Shortly after aspartame's approval by the FDA, Hayes joined NutraSweet's public relations firm under a ten year contract at $1,000 a day.

Aspartame/NutraSweet was the product of the G. D. Searle Co. In January 1977, the FDA wrote a 33 page letter to U.S. Justice Department Attorney
Sam Skinner: "We request that your office convene a Grand Jury investigation into apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act." Skinner allowed the Statute of Limitations to run.

Three FDA Commissioners and eight other officers and Skinner took jobs in the aspartame industry.

The Food and Drug Administration once listed 92 adverse reactions from 10,000 consumer complaints and would send the list to all inquirers. In 1996 the FDA stopped taking complaints and now denies existence of the report. Seizures, blindness, sexual dysfunction, obesity, testicular, mammary and brain tumors and death, plus dozens of other dread diseases named in the suit arise from the consumption of this neurotoxin.

Defendant Moser, past CEO of NutraSweet, is cited for misrepresenting facts to public and commercial users with full knowledge of the deceptions. The toxin is sold to Bayer, Con Agra Foods, Dannon, Smucker, Kellogg, Wrigley, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods (Crystal Light), Conopco (Slim-Fast), Coke, Pfizer, Wal-Mart and Wyeth (to name a few), who use it in some of their products, including children's vitamins. These entities are named in other suits now in California Courts.

Defendant American Diabetes Association's mission is to care for diabetics. A 35 year ADA member, diabetic specialist H.J.Roberts, M.D.FACP discovered aspartame can precipitate or aggravate diabetes and its complications, or simulate the complications (especially neuropathy and retinopathy). His report, intended for the Annual Scientific Meeting of the ADA, was rejected for presentation - and even publication of the abstract (!) - but was then published in another scientific medical journal.

The seven count indictment includes charges for violation of California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Fraud, violations of California Civil Code §1780-1784 and Injunctive Relief: that Defendants be enjoined from future use/sale of aspartame.
 
Originally posted by: Forsythe
That's called corruption.
A problem common in developing countries.
And check this out:

NIH Finds Ethics Violations in 44 Cases
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050714/ap_on_go_ot/nih_ethics_lapses_2
WASHINGTON - Forty-four government scientists who also worked as consultants for drug companies violated agency regulations designed to prevent conflicts of interest, a review by the National Institutes of Health shows.

The review centered on whether the scientists had properly disclosed their work for the drug companies on financial disclosure forms, whether they had prior approval to do such work from their superiors and whether they took personal leave to do private work. In the 44 cases, scientists were found to have violated one or more existing NIH rules.

In an additional 37 cases reviewed, scientists did have prior approval for their work, had properly reported the work on their financial disclosure forms and took approved leave when necessary, the NIH reported.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee asked for the review when it compared NIH records to consulting agreements maintained by 20 pharmaceutical companies. It found 81 cases between 1999 and 2004 where the agreements were not listed in the NIH records provided to the committee. It asked NIH to investigate those cases.

Even as NIH investigated those cases, NIH Director Elias Zerhouni issued a ban on NIH employees consulting with drug and biotechnology companies. The agency also issued ethics rules that it is monitoring before making permanent.

The chairman of the committee, Rep. Joe Barton (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, said the agency's findings revealed the ethics problems at NIH were worse than he had anticipated.

"These findings indicate that the ethical problems are more systemic and severe than previously known," Barton said. "They also demonstrate the need for NIH to issue the final ethics rule as soon as possible."

Of the 44 scientists found to have violated agency rules, 36 are still employed at NIH and have been referred for possible disciplinary action. Nine of those thirty-six have also been referred to the HHS Office of Inspector General for investigation of possible criminal violations.

Zerhouni made the details of the NIH investigation known in a letter to the committee dated July 8. The findings were released, despite Zerhouni asking that they be treated as confidential.

"You have my pledge that I will continue to work with the committee on this matter as we move forward by correcting deficiencies and ensuring public trust," Zerhouni said.

Committee leaders released the data and letter anyway because of the compelling public interest, said Kevin Schweers, a spokesman for the panel.
 
Regulators say existing studies show it is safe, but will look at the European Journal of Clinical Oncology study.

But they said it was unlikely that the sweetener was harmful to humans to the same extent as in rats.

Concerns have been raised about the aspartame in the past, but an analysis of 500 papers by UK regulators in 2002 concluded there was no threat to consumers.

Am I missing something here? It's safe...
 
Originally posted by: ntdz
Regulators say existing studies show it is safe, but will look at the European Journal of Clinical Oncology study.

But they said it was unlikely that the sweetener was harmful to humans to the same extent as in rats.

Concerns have been raised about the aspartame in the past, but an analysis of 500 papers by UK regulators in 2002 concluded there was no threat to consumers.
Am I missing something here? It's safe...
Because it was forcefed thru the system to be approved. I'd be willing to bet if a Jeffrey Weigand-type came out, we'd find all kinds of suppressed evidence.

But, it's pretty darn hard to refute:
Compared with control rats given no sweetener, many of the female rats in the experiment developed lymphomas or leukaemias - the risk increasing with the dose of aspartame.

The researchers say their study raises concerns about the levels of aspartame to which humans can be exposed and, therefore, "urgent re-examination" of aspartame's safety is needed, "especially to protect children".
 
Originally posted by: Crimson
Wow.. So this is all Reagan's and Rumsfeld's fault? Halliburton involved too?

It's a product driven by consumers. They wants sweets but not the calories. The govenrment isn't going to stand in the way of people being stupid, it is going to take advantage of it. What's a little bit of poison in your system when you get to ingest less calories? 😛

Capitalism at it's finest!

 
14 cans of a sugar-free drink every day! Who the hell drinks that much soda?

You know what else causes cancer?

Sitting out in the sun for the entire day with no sunscreen.

Smoking 10 packs of cigarettes a day.

Move along, nothing to see here.
 
Sun exposure is known to be a cause of cancer
Smoking is known to cause many illnesses

NutraSweet has been sold as safe.
 
Originally posted by: conjur
Sun exposure is known to be a cause of cancer
Smoking is known to cause many illnesses

NutraSweet has been sold as safe.

Really now? I think most people know that Aspartame has been shown to cause cancer in rats. Hell, I knew that when I was 5.

Everything in moderation. Nothing is good for you in excess.
 
Originally posted by: conjur
Sun exposure is known to be a cause of cancer
Smoking is known to cause many illnesses

NutraSweet has been sold as safe.
what doesn't cause cancer?

really you are being an alarmist.
everything in moderation and you'll be fine.
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: conjur
Sun exposure is known to be a cause of cancer
Smoking is known to cause many illnesses

NutraSweet has been sold as safe.
what doesn't cause cancer?

really you are being an alarmist.
everything in moderation and you'll be fine.
Anectdotally, I know several people that have headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, etc. when drinking sodas with Aspartame.
 
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: conjur
Sun exposure is known to be a cause of cancer
Smoking is known to cause many illnesses

NutraSweet has been sold as safe.
what doesn't cause cancer?

really you are being an alarmist.
everything in moderation and you'll be fine.
Anectdotally, I know several people that have headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, etc. when drinking sodas with Aspartame.
i won't dispute their symptoms, but it would be interesting to see how they felt after ingesting a placebo that they thought was nutrasweet laden.

then again, with any substance, there can be people who are allergic.

 
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: ntdz
Regulators say existing studies show it is safe, but will look at the European Journal of Clinical Oncology study.

But they said it was unlikely that the sweetener was harmful to humans to the same extent as in rats.

Concerns have been raised about the aspartame in the past, but an analysis of 500 papers by UK regulators in 2002 concluded there was no threat to consumers.
Am I missing something here? It's safe...
Because it was forcefed thru the system to be approved. I'd be willing to bet if a Jeffrey Weigand-type came out, we'd find all kinds of suppressed evidence.

But, it's pretty darn hard to refute:
Compared with control rats given no sweetener, many of the female rats in the experiment developed lymphomas or leukaemias - the risk increasing with the dose of aspartame.

The researchers say their study raises concerns about the levels of aspartame to which humans can be exposed and, therefore, "urgent re-examination" of aspartame's safety is needed, "especially to protect children".

It's not hard to refute at all. THOSE ARE RATS. They aren't humans. Other studies have been done on humans showing no threat to humans. Did you not read the bold sections I quoted out of your own article? Quit trying to blame Reagan for something that just isn't true.
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: conjur
Sun exposure is known to be a cause of cancer
Smoking is known to cause many illnesses

NutraSweet has been sold as safe.
what doesn't cause cancer?

really you are being an alarmist.
everything in moderation and you'll be fine.
Anectdotally, I know several people that have headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, etc. when drinking sodas with Aspartame.
i won't dispute their symptoms, but it would be interesting to see how they felt after ingesting a placebo that they thought was nutrasweet laden.
Fake fake sweetner? 😕


😛
 
And what doses were those rats given? Sacharrin was found to give cancer to rats when you forcefed them by the spoonful, just like almost any chemical will do. Aspartame has been on the market for years and there's not a single credible study linking it to increased diseases in humans.
 
Originally posted by: conjur
Because it was forcefed thru the system to be approved. I'd be willing to bet if a Jeffrey Weigand-type came out, we'd find all kinds of suppressed evidence.

But, it's pretty darn hard to refute:
Compared with control rats given no sweetener, many of the female rats in the experiment developed lymphomas or leukaemias - the risk increasing with the dose of aspartame.

The researchers say their study raises concerns about the levels of aspartame to which humans can be exposed and, therefore, "urgent re-examination" of aspartame's safety is needed, "especially to protect children".

Hmmm... If I feed my dog lots of chocolate he'll get really sick whereas I can eat all I want and just get fat.

Rats aren't people.
 
The warning is for people with a genetic condition ONLY, not for anyone else.

There are more crazy whacko theories about Nutrasweet than anything except 911.
 
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