Citizen Petition Calls For A Ban On Genetically Engineered Milk

A citizen petition was sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on February 20 by three significant activist organisations that represent dairy producers, consumers, and public health professionals. This demanded the immediate rejection of Monsanto’s veterinary medication Posilac due to “imminent dangers.”

The petition also asked the FDA Commissioner to order milk and other dairy products to be labelled “with a cancer warning” and to revoke Posilac’s clearance.

Furthermore, it should be acknowledged that the FDA intentionally mislead dairy producers and consumers when it came to the labelling of rBGH milk, claiming that “No substantial difference has been observed between milk generated from rBGH-treated and non-BST treated cows.”

It is extremely deceptive in addition to being knowingly untrue, as the FDA “has found it lacks the basis for enforcing such labelling in its statute.” Jerold R. Mande, Executive Director to the FDA Commissioner, acknowledged this in a letter to Harold Rudnick, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, in July 1994.

Posilac, also known as rBGH, is a hormone that has been genetically modified. Posilac is injected into about 25% of the country’s cattle to boost milk production.

Since 1994, Monsanto and the FDA have belatedly acknowledged a wide range of harmful veterinary effects, which are documented on Posilac’s veterinary label.

Posilac-containing milk is extremely dissimilar from regular milk. It may contain antibiotics, medications for treating mastitis and injection site responses, and milk fat levels, particularly those for fatty acids linked to heart disease, are elevated.

Most critically, there are up to 20-fold higher levels of IGF-1, a naturally occurring insulin-like growth factor.

IGF-1 is a peptide-sized tiny molecule that enters the bloodstream easily from the small intestine. It is in charge of ensuring healthy development and growth.

However, it has been demonstrated in more than 50 articles in prestigious scientific journals that high levels of IGF-1 can, in some cases, raise the risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancer by up to seven times. Apoptosis, a natural defence mechanism against early submicroscopic malignancies, has also been demonstrated to be blocked by elevated levels.

Canada, 20 European countries, Norway, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia have all outlawed the use of and importation of dairy products containing rBGH due to the veterinary and public health issues raised in this petition.

It is also important to remember that on June 30, 1999, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an organisation of 101 countries that serves as the United Nations’ food safety agency, unanimously decided not to support or establish a safety standard for milk containing rBGH.

The FDA’s careless actions, as described in the petition, are consistent with its lengthy history of blatant denials and cover-ups. The FDA “has consistently disregarded its responsibility… has repeatedly put what it perceives to be the interests of veterinarians and the livestock industry ahead of its legal obligation to protect consumers… jeopardising the health and safety of consumers of meat, milk, and poultry,” according to a January 1986 report, “Human Food Safety and Regulation of Animal Drugs,” which was unanimously approved by the House Committee on Government Operations.

The Cancer Prevention Coalition, led by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., the Organic Consumers Association, led by Ronnie Cummins, and Family Farm Defenders, led by John Kinsman, submitted this petition on their behalf.

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Alex Jones

Alex Jones is a tech-savvy editor at World-Wire, renowned for his expertise in writing detailed technical articles and user-friendly how-to guides. With a background in Information Technology, he excels in demystifying complex tech topics. His work is highly valued for its accuracy and practicality, earning him awards like "Innovator in Tech Journalism" in 2023. Alex's role at World-Wire is pivotal in making technology accessible to a broad audience.

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