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