On May 8, 3:49=A0am, ultim...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(A Texan From Connecticut)
wrote:
> http://www.naturalnews.com/023175.html
>
> (NaturalNews) In December of 1965, while James Schlatter, a chemist
> for G.D. Searle & Company, was working on an anti-ulcer drug candidate
> he accidentally discovered aspartame. He was recrystallizing aspartame
> from ethanol when the mixture spilled onto the outside of the flask he
> was using. Some of the powder landed on his fingers. Schlatter
> discovered the sweet taste of aspartame when he absent-mindedly licked
> his finger later. He realized that the sweet taste must have been the
> aspartame.
>
> G.D. Searle approached Dr. Harry Waisman (Biochemist, Professor of
> Pediatrics, Director of the University of Wisconsin's Joseph P.
> Kennedy Jr. Memorial Laboratory of Mental Retardation Research, and a
> well-known expert in phenylalanine toxicity) in 1970 to research the
> effects of aspartame on primates. The study began on January 15, 1970
> and ended in late April, 1971. Dr. Waisman died unexpectedly in March,
> of 1971.
>
> In the study conducted by Dr. Waisman, seven infant monkeys were given
> aspartame with milk. One died after 300 days. Five others experienced
> grand mal seizures.
>
> These actual research results were not included in the initial
> application that G.D. Searle submitted to the FDA. G.D. Searle denied
> knowledge of or involvement with anything involving this research
> study. However, falsified results were submitted to the FDA bearing a
> Searle Pathology-Toxicology project number. Dr. Waisman and G.D.
> Searle both were responsible for the study design. Several false
> statements were made by G.D. Searle, including that the animals
> participating in the study were unavailable for autopsy after the
> termination of the study.
>
> Neuroscientist John W. Olney discovered that oral intake of glutamate,
> aspartame and cysteine (all excitotoxic amino acids) cause brain
> damage in mice. An internal G.D. Searle memorandum discussed the
> strategy for getting aspartame approved.
>
> In 1971, Ann Reynolds, a researcher who was employed by G.D. Searle,
> confirmed aspartame's neurotoxicity in infant mice. Searle ignored her
> discovery.
>
> On July 26, 1974, the FDA approved aspartame for limited use. The
> limited uses included free-flowing sugar substitute, tablets for
> sweetening hot beverages, cereals, gum, and dry bases.
>
> In August 1974 (before aspartame could go on the market) Dr. John
> Olney, James Turner, and Label, Inc. (Legal Action for Buyers'
> Education and Labeling) filed a formal objection stating that they
> believed aspartame could cause brain damage, particularly in children.
>
> On August 4, 1976, G.D. Searle representatives met with the FDA and
> was successful in convincing them to allow G.D. Searle to hire a
> private agency (University Associated for Education in Pathology
> (UAREP) and pay them $500,000 to "validate" 12 other studies that
> Searle had submitted to get aspartame approved by the FDA.
>
> According to Arthur Hull Hayes, the FDA Commissioner during the early
> 1980s, the UAREP investigation was to "make sure that the studies were
> actually conducted."
>
> Dr. Kenneth Endicott, Director of UAREP, stated that the FDA had
> "reasons to suspect" that Searle's tests "were not entirely honest."
> Because the FDA doubted Searle's honesty, officials wanted UAREP "to
> determine whether the re****ts were accurate."
>
> In 1977, Donald Rumsfeld (a former member of the U.S. Congress and the
> Chief of Staff in the Gerald Ford Administration) was hired as
> President and CEO of G.D. Searle. Attorney James Turner, Esq. has
> alleged that G.D. Searle hired Rumsfeld to facilitate the aspartame
> approval difficulties that they were experiencing.
>
> Rumsfeld's first action was to hire John Robson as Executive Vice
> President. Robson was a former lawyer with Sidley and Austin (Searle's
> Law Firm) and had also served as chairman of the Civil Aeronautics
> Board (then connected with the Department of Trans****tation). Rumsfeld
> also brought on Robert Shapiro as General Counsel. Shapiro had been
> Robson's Special Assistant at the Department of Trans****tation.
> Rumsfeld's next task was to hire William Greener, Jr., as Chief
> Spokesman. Greener was a former spokesman in the Gerald Ford White
> House.
>
> At the time that Rumsfeld became President and CEO he was on the Board
> of Directors of the Chicago Tribune. Shortly after Rumsfeld became CEO
> of Searle he wrote an effusively positive article about the NutraSweet
> Company.
>
> On January 10, 1977, it was recommended to the U.S. Attorney that a
> grand jury be set up to investigate G.D. Searle for violations of the
> Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, U.S.C. 331(e), and the False
> Re****ts to the Government Act, 18 U.S.C. 1001. G.D. Searle and Company
> and three of its responsible officers were investigated for willful
> and knowing failure to make re****ts to the Food and Drug
> Administration and for hiding pertinent facts and making false
> statements in re****ts of the animal studies that were conducted to
> establish the safety of the drug Aldactone and the food additive
> Aspartame.
>
> There were two studies where the violations committed by G.D. Searle
> appeared to be especially grievous. The two studies investigated were
> the previously mentioned 52-week toxicity study on infant monkeys
> performed by Dr. Waisman (G.D. Searle withheld im****tant information
> from the FDA) and a 46-week toxicity study of hamsters (G.D. Searle
> had taken blood from healthy animals at the 26th week and claimed that
> the tests had actually been performed at the 38th week). Apparently
> many of the animals from this study were dead by the 38th week.
>
> On January 26, 1977, G.D. Searle's law firm, Sidley & Austin,
> requested a meeting with the U.S. Attorney prior to a grand jury
> convening. A representative of Sidley & Austin who was present at that
> meeting was Newton Minow (also on the Board of Directors at the
> Chicago Tribune at that time).
>
> On April 13, 1977, a memo from the U.S. Justice Department urged U.S.
> Attorney Samuel Skinner to proceed quickly with the grand jury
> investigations of G.D. Searle. The memo clearly shows that the Statute
> of limitations on prosecution was going to expire soon (October 10,
> 1977 for the Waisman study and December 8, 1977 for the other study).
>
> On July 1, 1977, U.S. Attorney Samuel Skinner left his U.S. Attorney
> position to work for the G.D. Searle law firm of Sidley & Austin.
> Thomas Sullivan became Samuel Skinner's successor. Assistant U.S.
> Attorney William Conlon convened a grand jury, but he allowed the
> Statute of Limitations to run out on the aspartame study charges.
>
> Just over a year later, Conlon also accepted a job with G.D. Searle's
> law firm, Sidley & Austin.
> Robert McConnell was the Director of G.D. Searle's Department of
> Pathology and Toxicology, the department that oversaw most of the
> aspartame research. Mr. McConnell was specifically named in the
> initial recommendation for investigation. According to McConnell's
> attorney, his client was given a $15,000 bonus and it was requested he
> take a 3-year sabbatical (he received $60,000 for each year). He was
> deemed a "political liability."
>
> In August 1977, the Bressler Re****t involving three key aspartame
> studies (E5, E77/78 and E89) was released. Some of the findings from
> these three studies reviewed by the Bressler-led FDA Task Force
> included:
>
> 1. In one study, 98 of the 196 animals participating died but were not
> autopsied until as much as one year later. Because of this delay, most
> of the animal tissue could not be used. At least 20 animals had to be
> excluded from postmortem examinations.
>
> 2. There was a discrepancy between the original pathology sheets and
> the pathology sheets submitted to the FDA. There were differences
> shown for 30 animals.
>
> 3. One animal was actually re****ted alive at week 88, dead between
> weeks 92 and 104, and then alive again at week 108, and finally
> permanently dead at week 112.
>
> 4. An outbreak of an infectious disease was not included in the re****t
> to the FDA.
>
> 5. Tissue from some animals was noted to be unavailable for analysis
> on the pathology sheets. However, the results from an analysis of this
> "unavailable" tissue were submitted to the FDA.
>
> 6. There was evidence that the diet mix was not homogeneous (allowing
> the animals to eat around the test substance). This evidence included
> a picture as well as statements by a lab technician.
>
> 7. Fifteen fetuses from animals involved in one experiment were
> missing.
>
> 8. Some sections from the animals were too thick for examination.
>
> 9. There was no do***entation about the age or source of the animals.
>
> 10. For one study, there was no protocol until it was well underway.
>
> 11. Animals were not adequately tagged to prevent mistakes.
>
> 12. Some laboratory methods were changed during the study but this was
> not do***ented.
>
> In March of 1979, the FDA was able to conclude that G.D. Searle's
> aspartame studies were acceptable. They decided to convene the Public
> Board of Inquiry (PBOI). This had been agreed to by Dr. John Olney and
> Attorney James Turner over four years earlier.
>
> In April of 1979, the FDA outlined the specific questions that were
> going to be addressed by the PBOI. The scope of investigation was
> limited to:
>
> a. Whether the ingestion of aspartame (alone or together with
> glutamate) poses a risk of contributing to mental retardation, brain
> damage, or undesired effects on neuroendocrine regulatory systems.
>
> b. Whether the ingestion of aspartame may induce brain neoplasms
> (tumors) in rats.
>
> Based on the answers to the above queries:
>
> a. Should aspartame be allowed for use in foods or should the approval
> of aspartame be withdrawn?
>
> b. If aspartame is allowed for use in foods (if its approval is not
> withdrawn) what conditions for use and labeling should be required, if
> any?
>
> In June of 1979, Acting FDA Commissioner Sherwin Gardner selected the
> 3-person Public Board of Inquiry (BOI). The selected panelists were
> Peter J. Lampert, M.D. (Professor and Chairman, Department of
> Pathology, University of California - San Diego), Vernon R. Young,
> Ph.D. (University of Nutritional Biochemistry, M.I.T.) and Walle
> Nauta, M.D., Ph.D. (Institute Professor, Department of Psychology and
> Brain Science, M.I.T).
>
> Dr. John Olney objected to the Commissioner's selection of Dr. Vernon
> Young on grounds of both conflict of interest and lack of
> qualifications.
>
> Dr. Young had written articles in collaboration with G.D. Searle
> scientists, though they were not aspartame related. Additionally, Dr.
> Olney thought that the question of aspartic acid's neurotoxicity
> needed to be examined by a neuropathologist and that Dr. Young was not
> qualified because his field was Nutrition and Metabolism. Dr. Olney's
> objections were overruled by the Acting FDA Commissioner. In the end,
> Dr. Young was assigned to study the issue of aspartic acid toxicity.
>
> One of the PBOI panelists, Dr. Walle Nauta, said, "It was a shocking
> story we were told [about Searle's animal testing] but, there was no
> way we could go after it. We had absolutely no way of knowing who was
> right. We had to take the FDA's word."
>
> On January 21, 1981, the day after Ronald Reagan became the 40th
> President of the United States, G.D. Searle reapplied for the approval
> of aspartame. G.D. Searle submitted new studies along with their
> application. Reagan was expected to replace Jere Goyan, the FDA
> Commissioner. G.D. Searle President & CEO, Donald Rumsfeld's
> connections to the Republican Party were also thought to be connected
> to Searle's decision to reapply for aspartame's approval at that time.
>
> According to a former G.D. Searle salesperson, Donald Rumsfeld told
> his sales force that, if necessary, "he would call in all his markers
> and that no matter what, he would see to it that aspartame would be
> approved that year."
>
> Meanwhile, there were FDA scientists who were very concerned about
> specific problems linking aspartame with brain tumors, brain lesions,
> and general brain chemistry. Another concerned neuroscientist, Dr.
> John Olney studied aspartame extensively and he expressed his concern
> about the serious negative health effects aspartame consumption had on
> the human body.
>
> The concerns of these top scientists were of no consequence to
> Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld made the decision to solve this problem politically
> =96 not scientifically.
>
> On October 15, 1982, G.D. Searle petitioned the FDA for approval of
> aspartame use in soft drinks and children's vitamins.
>
> On October 1, 1982 an amendment was attached to the Orphan Drug Act.
> This act encourages the development of drugs for rare diseases. The
> amendment extended the patent on one product -- aspartame -- by 5
> years, 10 months and 17 days. The amendment did not mention aspartame
> or G.D. Searle specifically and there was no debate or discussion on
> this amendment.
>
> This amendment was proposed by Senator Howell Heflin, brought up for
> vote by Senator Robert Byrd, and pushed through by Representatives
> Henry Waxman and Orrin Hatch. G.D. Searle requested Senator Heflin
> sponsor the amendment. Heflin re****tedly received $9,000 in campaign
> donations from G.D. Searle company executives shortly after this
> amendment was approved. Senator Byrd received a $1,000 campaign
> contribution from the CEO of G.D. Searle (Rumsfeld) before the
> amendment was proposed. Representative Waxman received a $1,500
> campaign contribution from the soft drink political action committee.
> Senator Hatch also received $2,500 from the soft drink political
> action committee prior to his re-election and $1,000 each from Daniel
> Searle, Wesley Dixon (Daniel Searle's brother-in-law), and William
> Searle. Senator Hatch has blocked hearings looking into the safety of
> aspartame many times.
>
> In 1985, G.D. Searle was sold to the chemical company, Monsanto.
> Monsanto then created the NutraSweet Company as a separate subsidiary
> from G.D. Searle.
>
> In 1992, NutraSweet signed agreements with the Coca-Cola and PepsiCo
> stipulating that The NutraSweet Company was their preferred supplier
> of aspartame. The patent for aspartame expired on December 14, 1992.
> This opened up the market to other companies.
>
> In light of all of this information, it is not at all surprising that
> most health-conscious people now believe avoiding NutraSweet is a
> prudent practice. At some future point, if a scientific consensus
> finally concludes that aspartame puts most consumers at risk, it will
> be much too late. The best thing is to eat safely now.
>
> About the author
> Jo Hartley
> Wife, Mother of 8, and Grandmother of 2
> Jo is a 40 year old home educator who has always gravitated toward a
> natural approach to life. She enjoys learning as much as possible
> about just about anything!http://www.loftymatters.com
Well, that explains Sid9 and Pope Wears Prada. Two chimps hooked on
NutraSweet. Kool-Aid+NutraSweet=3D modern day liberal kook.
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