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Special interest group takes exception to rBST commentTrent Loos's July 16 column "The teachable moments," talks about the need to get the facts right and "setting the record straight." I completely agree. That's why I'd like to point out that contrary to Mr. Loos's statement, cows treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) have significantly higher levels in their milk of another growth hormone, IGF-1, than untreated cows. Monsanto's own studies demonstrated this. IGF-1 is present in cows and humans, but elevated levels have been linked in dozens of studies to increased breast, prostate, colon and other cancer in humans. Misconceptions about rBGH and IGF-1 abound. One is that IGF-1 from dairy products is destroyed by digestion, never reaching the blood stream where it can cause cancer problems. That was the prevailing thought when the FDA approved rBGH in 1993. But more recent studies demonstrated that casein, the main protein in milk, protects most IGF-1 from digestion. Another pro-rBGH argument is that the body produces far more IGF-1 than you can get from dietary sources. That's true, but largely irrelevant. This is a hormone, which even in minute amounts can have significant effects on human health, especially before birth and in infancy and childhood. There isn't 100 percent proof that injecting cows with rBGH increases cancer rates in humans, but there is significant scientific data pointing in that direction. That's why the Codex Alimentarius, the U.N.'s main food safety body, concluded there is no consensus on its safety. It's also why Health Care Without Harm, a coalition of over 440 organizations promoting health and safety in hospitals, issued a formal position statement opposing the drug. If ever there was a shining example of "Better safe than sorry," avoiding rBGH dairy products is it. --Rick North, Project Director, Campaign For Safe Food, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
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