IUBio

Betty Martini (fwd)

Betty Martini betty at noel.pd.org
Thu Jul 13 12:25:38 EST 1995


LET'S SEE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THE FOLLOWING FACTS, AS REPORTED 4/20/95 BY
THE DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ON

        "SYMPTOMS ATTRIBUTED TO ASPARTAME IN COMPLAINTS SUBMITTED TO FDA*"
           *Some cnsumers described more than one symptom attriuted 
             
           Headache                       1,847
           Dizziness/poor equilibrium       735
           Change in Mood                   656 
           Vomiting or Nausea               647
           Abdominal Pain & Cramps          453
           Change in Vision                 362
           Diarrhea                         330
           Siezures and Convulsions         290
           Memory Loss                      255
           Fatigue, weakness                242   (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?)
           Other Neurological               230
           Rash                             226
           Sleep Problems                   201
           Hives                            191
           Change in Heart Rate             185
           Itching                          175
           Grand Mal                        174    (add to siezures, above)
           Numbness, Tingling               172
           Local swelling                   114
           Change in activity level         113    (see Fatigue, above)
           Difficulty Breathing             112
           Oral sensory changes             108
           Change inmenstraul pattern       107
           Symptoms reported by less 
               than 100 complaints        1,812     GRAND TOTAL:  9,737!

This catalogue of misery represents more than 75% of the complaints the 
FDA has received on any food additive.  Now they've closed the reporting
window, according to a report I received last week; they're not accepting
additional complaints.  When you smell smoke do you wait till the house is
ablaze before investigating for yourself?

January 10, 1977 in a 33 page letter FDA Chief Counsel Richard Merrill 
recommended to US Attorney Sam Skinner that a grand jury investigate
Searl for concealing material facts and making false statements in reports
calling attention to studies on the effect of NSweet on monkeys & hamsters.
February 2, 1977 Skinner is offered a job with Sidley & Austin, Searl's 
law firm and the case was dropped. 

After overruling the findings of a public board of inquiry on 7/15/81
to approve NutraSweet for dry products Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr, FDA
Commissioner hired on with Burson-Marsteller, Searl/NutraSweet's\
public relations firm as "Senior scientific consultant."  Scientific
Consultant for a PR firm: to understand that just think of an Art Director
for a Pig Farm.  

FDA = FATAL DRUGS ALLOWED!

Betty Martini
Domain:  betty at pd.org
UUCP:  ...!emory!pd.org!betty




More information about the Neur-sci mailing list

Send comments to us at biosci-help [At] net.bio.net