Macrobolic's BodyBlog

Privacy, Science at Risk

brettcorless — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:16:57 +0000

In 2006, then President George W. Bush signed into law the dietary supplement and OTC bill dealing with reporting on adverse events. Now, the French food safety agency, AFSSA (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments), has launched a program to monitor the consumption of dietary supplements and any adverse events associated with their use.

Dr Robert Verkerk, our scientific director, told NutraIngredients.com that although government-led efforts to accumulate reports of adverse events through practitioners, health stores and other suppliers of supplements is in principle sound, there is great potential for such data to be misused:

“We have seen both in Europe and the USA, numerous cases where food supplements have been flagged as causative agents of particular adverse effects when further scrutiny demonstrates they were simply among large lists of products, often including medications and even alcohol and recreational drugs, consumed. It is utterly misleading to misrepresent the role of food supplements in such instances and the only way around the problem is to ensure absolute transparency in reporting, access to medical records and in the drawing of conclusions as to the potential contributory role of specific food supplements.”

Although very few adverse events following the use of dietary supplements are reported to the FDA, too often media frenzy focuses on the use of supplements when, in fact, other factors — including the use of medications and recreational substances, such as alcohol — have a more profound role to play. Kudos to Dr. Verkerk!

November 10, 2009

FDA’s Lax Ways

brettcorless — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:10:14 +0000

Despite increasing calls for transparency at the FDA, the agency’s sloppy performance continues to put consumers at risk both medically and financially.

On October 26, 2009, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report indicating the FDA has often allowed drugs to remain on the market after follow-up studies showed a lack of any benefit. The “fast-track drug-approval process,” which the FDA instituted in 1992, was the ready-set-go! for drugs to be rushed to market on the basis of meager, preliminary laboratory study. For example, Viagra, tested in just two studies on 200 volunteers, was approved by the FDA and soon prescribed to millions of patients. Adverse reactions and deaths associated with the use of the drug were noted only when Viagra was prescribed to many more patients than those who had participated in the original clinical trials. A number of drugs designed to treat cancer and HIV were approved in a similar fast-track fashion with the proviso that the manufacturers conduct follow-up trials to document their drugs’ effectiveness. And yet, the FDA often fails to police this requirement. Equally distressing is the fact that FDA, rather than insisting on independent, third-party studies, uses the manufacturer’s own data to determine effectiveness.

Congressional investigators have revealed that the federal law directing the FDA to bar researchers already convicted of fraud from engaging in further research is all but ignored. A congressional report released October 22, 2009, noted that the FDA pays “so little attention to its responsibilities to ban researchers convicted of fraud and is so disorganized about carrying them out that its actions take an average of four years to complete”. The GAO’s analysis of 18 proceedings regarding researchers convicted of fraud found that the FDA took between one and 11 years to complete the process. Congressman Joe Barton, R-Texas, has promised to introduce legislation to give the FDA more power to ban convicted researchers. Why is there no pressure on the agency to enforce existing federal law?

The standardization of food-labeling by the FDA is all over the news. For example, USA Today has publicized criticism leveled at the nation’s largest cereal maker, Kellogg’s, whose box of Cocoa Krispies trumpets: “Now helps support your child’s IMMUNITY”. A careful review of the label reveals this claim to be misleading, even fraudulent, because Kellogg’s is referring not to the cereal but to an added ingredient. Kelly Brownell, Ph.D., of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, notes: “By their logic, you can spray vitamins on a pile of leaves and it will boost immunity.”

Shame on the FDA for being so lax when it comes to important issues affecting consumer safety! Have you signed the petition calling for reform of the FDA? If not, please do so now.

Cat Survives 2-Mile Ride in Car Engine: Points to Winter Danger

brettcorless — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:04:43 +0000

Last week, the country was mesmerized by the story of a tan-and-white Tabby cat from the Bronx, NY, who survived an unusual ordeal: a two-mile drive through his northern NYC borough, while stuck inside the engine of an SUV. The stray was so severely wedged inside that the battery and other engine parts had to be removed in order to free him. Though the story has a happy ending—two detectives from the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit pulled the cat, who is now recovering nicely, to safety—the incident points to a winter phenomenon that many felines do not survive.

During the winter, ASPCA experts explain, it’s common for outdoor cats to sleep under the hoods of cars for warmth and protection. Once the motor is started, however, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. One solution is for owners of vehicles to bang loudly on the vehicle hood before starting the engine. This gives a sleeping cat the chance to escape or announce his presence by meowing or moving around.

The danger doesn’t only apply to strays, however. Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, ASPCA Executive Vice President, warns: "For their own benefit and for the benefit of the communities where they live, owned cats should not be allowed to roam freely outdoors."

Pet parents, be aware: there are many other dangers that our animal companions face during winter. Thankfully, ASPCA experts have provided a list of essential cold weather tips to keep animals safe from winter threats. Here’s a sneak peek:

Keep your cat inside. When outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. And cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.
Engine coolant is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.
If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, minimize his time outdoors—briefly take him out, and only to relieve himself. This includes puppies, who can be paper-trained during the colder months rather than housebroken.
Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter—a longer coat will provide more warmth. And continue to brush your pet regularly during the winter months. This will remove dead hair and keep the coat clean to ensure better insulation. It will also keep natural oils distributed throughout the coat.

If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit: Halloween Costume Tips for Your Furry Friends

brettcorless — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:08:17 +0000

Even though our fur kids can look smashing in a pumpkin or pirate costume specifically made for their four-legged frames, many pets can have adverse reactions to a constrictive outfit or its irritating materials. Remember, pet parents, animals are most comfortable hanging out in their birthday suits. But in the spirit of all that’s ghoulish, the ASPCA offers some helpful costume tips to keep you and your pet singing “trick-or-treat!” all the way to November 1.

Schedule a dress rehearsal and try on all costumes well before the big night. Please don’t put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). If your pet seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or in a simple, festive bandana.
Does your pet have sensitive skin? Even those with hearty coats can have allergic reactions to the synthetic materials found in many costumes. While you ride a sugar high, your pet might be uncomfortably scratching the night away.
If you do dress up your pet, be sure the costume isn’t annoying or unsafe, and make absolutely sure it doesn’t limit your pet’s movement, hearing, vision or ability to breathe or bark. Ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, which can lead to injury.
It’s best to avoid costumes with lots of sequins or other dangling parts that your pet could eat or choke on. If your pet ingests something poisonous, immediately contact your vet or the ASPCA’s 24-hour poison control hotline at (888) 426-4435.

Mutilated Horse Rescued; ASPCA Offers $2,500 Reward

brettcorless — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:55:17 +0000

On June 30, a grey filly was found roaming the desert near Round Mountain, an isolated mining community roughly 235 miles southeast of Reno, NV, close to the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA). The two-year-old horse had been the victim of a horrendous act of animal cruelty—the hide of her left hip, where the owner’s brand was located, had been cut off in a six-by-eight inch patch, and the skin removed to make sure the filly could not be traced back to her owner.

NDA officials gently rounded up the horse and transported her to their emergency holding facility, where she was fed, watered and her wound treated by a vet. The mare was later transported to Return to Freedom, a wild horse sanctuary that eventually contacted her new forever home, a horse sanctuary outside of San Diego called Horses of Tir Na Nog. (Both are recipients of the ASPCA Equine Grant Fund.)

Efforts have now shifted from the mare’s rescue to finding the person responsible for her mutilation and abandonment. The ASPCA has joined forces with the Humane Society of the United States in offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrator, bringing the total reward to $5,000.

Says ASPCA President & CEO, Ed Sayres, "Abandoned horses are the result of a struggling economy and the unscrupulous overbreeding of horses around the country. The solution involves educating breeders and owners about responsible horse care.”

Questions regarding this case should be directed to the Nevada Department of Agriculture at (775) 738-8076.

Please be an ‘angel’ for a hot, miserable dog?

brettcorless — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:34:19 +0000

As the heat of summer sets in, neglected backyard dogs face soaring temperatures, the scorching sun, and energy-sapping humidity as well as the wind and pounding rains from powerful summer thunderstorms.

For many of these animals, a sturdy doghouse with an overhanging roof that provides shade can mean the difference not only between abject misery and a little comfort but also between life and death. That’s why PETA’s “Angels for Animals” program is so wonderful—and so important. Can I count on you to be an “angel” for a lonely, unfortunate dog this summer?

As an “angel for animals,” you can sponsor a specially designed PETA-built doghouse that will provide a needy dog with shelter to see him or her through scorching summers—and cold winters—for years to come.

Your sponsorship can immediately change the life of animals like Chow and Pit. When PETA first met these two neglected animals, their North Carolina “owner” had had them for more than a year yet had been too lazy even to name them. He simply called them “Chow” and “Pit” (after their breeds).

Each of these sweet dogs was tethered by the neck with an extremely heavy chain at the center of a large dirt circle—created by the dog’s restricted range of movement at the end of the chain. The dogs could never escape their “prison yard.” Pit had only a damp plastic barrel for shelter, and Chow called a grossly inadequate plastic doghouse “home.” (Plastic doghouses are like ovens in the summertime.) Both dogs had dug holes in the ground in an attempt to escape the relentless summer heat.

The harsh reality is that some people cannot afford to take proper care of their dogs and cats, while others don’t know how or just plain don’t care. Sometimes, PETA can legally remove the dogs and even bring criminal charges against their “owners.” But sometimes, we are prohibited by local laws from taking such actions. That’s when we do everything we can to help reduce their daily suffering. We returned to check on Chow and Pit, and when we did, we took them PETA custom-built doghouses filled with soft straw bedding. The doghouses provided Chow and Pit with some urgently needed shade and protection from intense thunderstorms, a common occurrence in North Carolina on summer afternoons.

Since we started the program, PETA has distributed more than 4,300 doghouses, thanks to generous “angels for animals.” Now, with more dogs in urgent need of shelter and temperatures at or near their year-long highs, I very much hope that we can count on your support.

No matter how much you can afford to give, I urge you to respond today. It is in economic tough times like these that unloved animals suffer the most. Nearly all the dogs we reach with our “Angels for Animals” program live in underprivileged neighborhoods. I promise you that PETA will fight as hard as we can to make sure that these dogs are not mistreated, forgotten, or ignored.

Thank you so very much for coming to the rescue of at least one sorely neglected dog this summer. Your simple act of kindness can bring one of these dear animals years of shelter, lasting them through many changing seasons, from bitter winters to scorching-hot summers.

Kind regards,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President

Biggest dogfighting raid ever: hundreds of dog seized?

brettcorless — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:55:20 +0000

Yesterday went to the dogs – some 450 of them – when federal law enforcement agencies, along with The HSUS, The Humane Society of Missouri, and the ASPCA raided multiple dogfighting operations around the country in what was the largest single day of actions against this blood sport in American history.

Clearly, the law is on our side – and with organized dogfighting illegal everywhere and a felony in all 50 states, never in our five-decade fight against this vicious and bloody activity has our message been stronger: dogfighters are a dying breed.

In my blog today, I share two reports from our people who helped lead the action in the field and helped rescue the dogs. Their personal accounts showcase the significance of yesterday’s amazing efforts and what they really mean for the dogs. I hope you’ll read their stories – and those of the animals.

Thank you for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

Palin’s Resignation Leaves Wake of Wildlife Devastation: Parnell Has Opport

brettcorless — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:59:05 +0000

The following statement from Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund President Rodger Schlickeisen is in response to the resignation of Alaska governor, Sarah Palin:

"Governor Palin’s surprise resignation comes at a crucial point for wildlife and wild places in Alaska. In the just two and a half years of her term, she has made a series of decisions that prove she had absolutely no interest in being an environmental steward of the unique natural treasure that is Alaska.

"Instead, Governor Palin ignored our nation’s leading wildlife laws and filed senseless lawsuits to pursue her anti-wildlife agenda. Palin’s increasingly extreme anti-wildlife management policies included shooting wolves from airplanes and helicopters, using airplanes to track black and brown bears then shooting them from the ground, and the gassing of wolf pups in their dens. She even targeted wolves that had been part of a fifteen year long scientific study conducted by the National Park Service. All this, as well as her decision to fight much needed protections for both polar bears and Cook Inlet beluga whales, shows her blatant disregard for both science and environmental laws.

"Her efforts were, and still are, a threat to the natural integrity of America’s last frontier, a state that boasts many national wildlife refuges, forests, parks and other federal lands, covering more than 200 million acres of the state. And if this isn’t enough, Palin’s persistent denial of global warming is sure to fast make her a political relic.

"Palin’s successor, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell, must now decide whether he intends to extend Palin’s devastating and destructive wildlife legacy even further, or whether he intends to chart a new path, by removing politics from wildlife management and restoring science to the decision making process. He can be sure that Defenders will be paying close attention to his decisions."

Petland continues to support cruel puppy mills

brettcorless — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:21:04 +0000

As you might remember, The Humane Society of the United States released the results of an eight-month investigation in November showing that pet store chain Petland Incorporated is the nation’s largest retail supporter of puppy mills.

Our Puppy Mills team has been working hard in the months since that exposé was released, and today reveals disturbing new revelations about Petland.

The investigation revealed at least two Petland stores in Florida, the Orlando East and Largo stores, still buying puppies from the facility linked to Kathy Bauck, who was convicted on three counts of animal torture and one count of animal abuse in March. We also found some Petland stores still buying from at least two other puppy mills that we filmed and identified as part of our initial investigation.

Our team conducted an intensive six-month search of public records in multiple states and tracked shipments of puppies from massive commercial brokers to more than 95 percent of Petland’s domestic stores. We revealed once again that the store chain is misleading customers about dealing with a special selection of breeders. Instead, Petland’s franchisees buy most of their dogs from puppy mills either directly or indirectly through large-scale wholesalers, like Hunte.

This deceptive behavior continues to harm both animals and consumers. More than 600 people who purchased dogs from Petland have already contacted us about the class action lawsuit Petland is currently facing. If you haven’t already, please tell us your story if you bought a puppy from Petland.

We’ll continue to keep the pressure on Petland to join other national pet store chains that refuse to sell dogs from puppy mills, until the company does the right thing for animals.

Thank you for your continued support in our campaign to stop puppy mills.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

Does the AHA actually know if animals were harmed during the filming of you

brettcorless — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:48:04 +0000

When you see animals in ads, commercials, television shows, or movies, they may seem to be having a good time. But there is usually much more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye.

For animals, acting is strange and upsetting. Most people do not know that the chimpanzee “grin” so often seen in movies and on TV is actually a grimace of fear or a carefully choreographed response to a command.

The film industry often deceives filmgoers and television viewers with the American Humane Association’s (AHA) misleading “No animals were harmed” seal of approval, but the AHA does not monitor maternal separation, pre-production training sessions, or living conditions. Because that is where most of the abuse happens, having the AHA on set does not guarantee that no animals were harmed.

In order to force young chimpanzees to perform, trainers often beat them with their fists, clubs, or even broom handles. This systematic pattern of abuse and dominance causes the animals to be constantly anxious and fearful, always anticipating the next blow.

However, despite pressure from PETA and the many available alternatives, some companies continue to use live animals in their ad campaigns.
Fortunately, there are many companies going the compassionate route and leaving animals out of ads. This year alone, companies such as Harris Teeter, Gap Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co., and ad agencies Young & Rubicam, Skadaddle Media, Arnold Worldwide, and the Ad Council have all pledged to leave great apes out of ads.

There is no reason to use live animals as actors when animation, blue screen, computer-generated imagery, and other advanced technologies can produce realistic substitutes. If you see a TV show, commercial, or film that uses animals in an improper way or portrays animals disrespectfully, please contact PETA.