Drug Trial Tragedy Traced to Animal Test Failure

Good Medicine
From the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine / Summer 2006 / Vol. XV, No. 3
PLAYING WITH
GRILLED CHICKEN CONTAINS
CANCER-CAUSING
COMPOUNDS
Drug Trial Tragedy Traced to Animal Test Failure • Nutrition Researcher, Vegan Athletes Promote
Healthy Diets to Congress • Going Global for Ethical Research • Providing Everyone a Clear
Conscience • Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D., on Pleasurable Kingdom
®
Editorial
The Chicken Myth
A
mericans eat a lot of chicken. Driven by the hope that chicken is somehow less fattening than beef or
pork, Americans now eat more than 1 million chickens per hour.
It hasn’t helped. As a group, Americans are fatter than ever. In all likelihood, the chicken craze has made
us less healthy, not the reverse. Here are seven reasons to give chicken a wide berth:
Fat. Even at its leanest—white meat, no skin, no added fat—chicken gets about 23 percent of its calories
from fat. That’s not much lower than lean beef, at 28 percent, and much higher than beans, rice, or typical
fruits and vegetables (less than 10 percent). Like beef, a substantial amount of that fat is saturated fat—the
kind linked to heart disease, diabetes, and breast cancer.
Cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the same as fat. Cholesterol is not visible, and most of it is in the lean
portion, lodged in the cell membranes. USDA figures show that a typical cut of beef has about 86 milligrams of cholesterol in a 3.5-ounce portion. The same serving size of skinless chicken (white meat) has 85
milligrams. In contrast, foods derived from plants have no cholesterol at all.
Bacteria. That intestinal “bug” that went around the office last year might have been caused by salmonella or campylobacter—bacteria found on approximately one-third of chicken products at retail stores.
They were in the chicken’s feces during life and splattered onto the skin and muscle tissue during slaughter
and evisceration. Cooking kills them. But it does not kill the germs that landed on your kitchen counter,
cutting board, or hands as you unwrapped the bird.
Carcinogens. You definitely don’t want to eat raw chicken. But neither do you want to eat heavily cooked
chicken. The longer and hotter the cooking process, the more cancer-causing chemicals form. These heterocyclic amines are not chemical additives; they form from the chicken flesh itself under typical grilling
conditions. They are under investigation for possible roles in colon cancer, breast cancer, and other forms
of the disease.
Environmental factors. Raising and killing more than 1 million chickens per hour is a massive operation.
Unlike asparagus, chickens defecate, and their accumulating litter leaves farmers with a serious environmental problem. One common solution: Feed it to cattle. To the surprise
Cooked too little, chicken harbors of consumers, chicken litter is routinely added to cattle feed. If mixed to no
more than about 15 percent of their feed, cattle will readily consume it.
salmonella and campylobacter.
Disease reservoir. Migratory birds naturally harbor influenza viruses.
Cooked too much, it harbors
But these viruses would be no more likely than wolf viruses or lizard viruses
carcinogenic heterocyclic amines. to enter human populations were it not for flocks of domesticated birds
that serve as viral breeding grounds. If there were no poultry industry, there
would be no epidemics of bird flu.
Cruelty. Anyone who has spent even a few minutes in a chicken shed is shocked by the crowding and
stress birds experience during their six weeks of life. Perhaps the worst comes when workers jam the birds
into transport containers that carry them to the slaughterhouse, often breaking legs or wings. At the processing plant, the priority is on speed, not on kindness.
Of all the reasons to leave chicken off our plates, perhaps the most
compelling is our children. They are at a higher risk than ever for obesity,
heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses. KFC and the profusion of frozen chicken “convenience” products take them in the wrong
direction. Helping children set aside the chicken myth is an important
step toward good nutrition.
2
GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
2006
HARRY GIGLIO
NEAL D. BARNARD, M.D.
PRESIDENT OF PCRM
Good Medicine®
FROM THE PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE
FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
SUMMER 2006
VOL. XV, NO. 3
Contents
Editor in Chief Neal D. Barnard, M.D.
Managing Editor/Designer Doug Hall
Editor Patrick Sullivan
Associate Editor/Staff Writer Margaret Southern
Contributing Writer Sarah Farr
Production Manager Lynne Crane
Web Designer Lisa Schulz
ADVISORY BOARD
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. Cornell University
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. The Cleveland Clinic
Suzanne Havala Hobbs, Dr.P.H., M.S., R.D.
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Henry J. Heimlich, M.D., Sc.D. The Heimlich Institute
Lawrence Kushi, Sc.D. Kaiser Permanente
John McDougall, M.D. McDougall Program
Virginia Messina, M.P.H., R.D. Nutrition Matters, Inc.
Milton Mills, M.D. Gilead Medical Group
Myriam Parham, R.D., L.D., C.D.E. East Pasco Medical Center
William Roberts, M.D. Baylor Cardiovascular Institute
Andrew Weil, M.D. University of Arizona
Affiliations are listed for identification only.
PCRM STAFF • Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H. Medical and Research Advisor •
Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D. Research Scientist • Simon Chaitowitz Senior
Communications Specialist • Cael Croft Associate Designer • Claudia Delman
Outreach Manager • Sarah Farr Writer/Information Officer • Susanne Forte
Communications Coordinator • Allison George Research Program Coordinator
• Amber Green, R.D. Staff Dietitian • Claire Gregory, Esq. Associate General
Counsel • Beatrice Huang, M.P.H., M.E.M. Clinical Research Coordinator • Mark
Kennedy, Esq. Staff Attorney • Dan Kinburn, Esq. Associate General Counsel •
Mindy Kursban, Esq. Executive Director and General Counsel • Susan Levin,
M.S., R.D. Nutritionist • Lynn Maurer Associate Designer • Jeanne Stuart
McVey Senior Media Relations Specialist • Tara Nicotra Nutrition Assistant •
Lorin O’Toole Assistant to the President • John Pippin, M.D. Senior Medical
Advisor • Chad Sandusky, Ph.D. Director of Toxicology and Research • Margaret
Southern Web Editor/Staff Writer • Kristie Stoick, M.P.H. Research Analyst •
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Assistant • THE CANCER PROJECT • Kathy Glisson Associate Director of Marketing
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WWW.PCRM.ORG
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6
Contents
11
15
12
24
Nutrition & Prevention
6 Playing with Fire: Grilled Chicken Contains Cancer-Causing Compounds
By Jennifer Reilly, R.D.
7 Healthy Grilling Recipes
9 Nutrition Researcher, Vegan Athletes Promote Healthy Diets to Congress
6
10 PCRM Seeks Nominees for 2006 Golden Carrot Award
Research Issues
11 Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D., on Pleasurable Kingdom
12 Drug Trial Tragedy Traced to Animal Test Failure
By John J. Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C.
14
ACTION ALERT: Urge the FDA to Implement Non-Animal Drug Tests
Going Global for Ethical Research: PCRM Assumes Leadership of the
International Council on Animal Protection
15 Poll Finds Broad Opposition to Covance’s Animal-Testing Plans
Providing Everyone a Clear Conscience
The Cancer Project
16 The Cancer Project Update
New Advertisements Offer Crash Course in Kids’ Nutrition
17 The News You Need
Departments
4 The Latest in...
18 Member Support / PCRM Earns Highest Rating from Charity Navigator /
PCRM at The Garden
20 PCRM Marketplace
23 Just the Facts
24 Physician Profile / Sarah Keating, M.D.: Good Nutrition for Life
COVER PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO / DESIGN: DOUG HALL
PCRM Phone Extensions 202-686-2210
Health Charities and Research Issues.........................................ext. 335
Literature Requests ...................................................................ext. 306
Media ........................................................................................ext. 311
Membership (change of address, duplicate
mailings, renewal questions) .................................................ext. 304
Nutrition ...................................................................................ext. 395
PCRM
Doctors and laypersons working
together for compassionate
and effective medical practice, research, and
health promotion.
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
3
The Latest in…
RESEARCH ETHICS
The Latest in…
By Kristie Stoick, M.P.H.
ALTERNATIVES TO ANIMAL RESEARCH
Lab-Grown Bladders
Help Sick Children
Source: New Scientist, Apr. 8, 2006, p. 10.
4
GOOD MEDICINE Summer
2006
Winter 2006
range of tissues from the human body,
will predict whether such unanticipated
immune reactions, which cannot be predicted through animal tests, might occur.
This means safer clinical trials and fewer
animal tests.
Source: Asterand plc
© ASTERAND
n a pioneering achievement in tissue
engineering, researchers at Wake Forest
University announced this spring that
patients who received bladders grown
from the patients’ own cells have been
successfully using the implanted organs
for about four years. The patients were all
children who suffered from spina bifida,
a disease that, among other complications, can result in shrunken, dysfunctional bladders.
The cells were taken by biopsy from
the children’s nonfunctional bladders,
and then allowed to grow in the laboratory into the shape of a bladder. After
two months, the bladders were surgically
grafted onto the patients’ own bladders.
The researchers’ next goal is to grow an
entire bladder, complete with a sphincter
to regulate urine flow, and then, perhaps,
develop more complex organs.
Though growing more complicated
organs such as hearts or livers presents
other obstacles, the victory is encouraging
news for scientists and patients. It is also
hopeful for animals, because it is a good
replacement for experiments attempting
to use animal organs in humans.
A
company that made a name for
itself testing new pharmaceuticals
exclusively in human tissues, Pharmagene, has changed its name to Asterand.
However, the company has not changed
its commitment to effective and ethical
safety testing of drugs. Many new treatments for cancer and other diseases are
antibody-based. These treatments are
designed to bind to a specific cell or
receptor to enact their effect. However,
if the antibody binds to other, nontarget tissues, patients can have a violent
allergic reaction, similar to the recent
disastrous trial in London with the drug
known as TGN1412.
Asterand scientists have developed an
antibody assay that, when applied to a
Vioxx Users More Susceptible to Side Effects in First Weeks
A
s PCRM continues to pursue its
lawsuit against the pharmaceutical
giant Merck for the company’s reliance
on animal tests for the pain-killer Vioxx,
disturbing new information has surfaced
© WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
I
Pharmagene Changes Name, Keeps Ethical Testing
about the drug, which was withdrawn
from the market in 2004 because it doubled the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
A new study by researchers at McGill
University Medical Centre in Montreal
recently found that some patients using
Vioxx are most susceptible to the drug’s
cardiotoxic effects immediately after
starting to take it. One-quarter of the
participants in the epidemiological study
experienced a heart attack within 14 days
of starting a Vioxx prescription.
This data further highlights how
poorly predictive animal “safety” tests can
be; Vioxx was certified safe in FDA-required animal tests, and was even shown
to be cardio-protective in mice. It has the
opposite effect in people.
Source: Levesque, et al. 2006; Canadian Medical Association Journal.
174(11).
.
NUTRITION
The Latest in…
By Dulcie Ward, R.D., and Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.
CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS
Arsenic Found in Chicken
DIABETES
Vegan Diet for Diabetes
A
new study presented at the American
Other benefits for the vegan group
Diabetes Association’s (ADA) an- were greater reductions in low density
nual scientific conference in Washington, lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol
D.C., suggests that people with type 2 levels and greater weight
diabetes improve significantly with a low- loss. Among medicationfat, plant-based diet. In a controlled trial, stable participants, body
conducted by investigators from PCRM, weight fell an average
the George Washington University, and of 14.3 pounds in
the University of Toronto, 99 partici- the vegan group and
pants were randomly assigned to follow 6.8 pounds in the
either a low-fat, vegan diet or a more ADA group.
ND, Cohen
standard ADA diet. ADA guidelines Barnard
J, Jenkins D, TurnerMcGrievy
G. Effect
allow for all food types but in limited
of a plant-based diet
quantities. Many participants were able on glycemic control and
cardiovascular risk factors
to reduce their medication in the course in individuals with type 2
a randomized clinical
of the study. Among participants whose diabetes:
trial. Presented at: American
Association 66
medications stayed constant, the vegan Diabetes
Scientific Sessions; June 9, 2006;
diet improved patients’ hemoglobin A1c, Washington, D.C.
the main indicator of long-term blood
glucose control, by an average reduction
of 1.2 points, a drop significantly greater
than the effect of most diabetes drugs and Diabetes researcher and
three times greater than experienced by PCRM president Neal D.
Barnard, M.D.
those following the ADA diet.
© iSTOCKPHOTO
TOM KOCHEL
© iSTOCKPHOTO
th
C
hicken often contains dangerous
amounts of arsenic, according to a
new report. Researchers from the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy
tested for arsenic in 151 samples of raw
chicken from supermarkets and 90
samples of cooked chicken from 10 different well-known fast-food restaurants.
Arsenic is a known carcinogen and is
linked to neurological, cardiovascular,
and immune problems. It is commonly
added to chicken feed to improve feed efficiency, improve pigmentation, promote
faster weight gain, or prevent intestinal
infection caused by parasites.
The study found that 55 percent of
uncooked chicken products contained
detectable arsenic, and 100 percent of
the fast-food brands had detectable levels
of the toxic element. The arsenic content
varied, although many samples were well
above the Environmental Protection
Agency’s 10 parts per billion standard
allowable in public drinking water.
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Playing Chicken: Avoiding
Arsenic in Your Meat. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy 2006.
Obesity Fuels Diabetes
A
new study confirms the role of obesity in diabetes risk. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention compiled national health survey data from
1997 to 2003 to examine trends in the
incidence of diagnosed diabetes among
U.S. adults. Of those with diabetes in
2003, 89 percent were overweight or
obese (30 percent and 59 percent, respectively). The total increase in diagnosed
diabetes was 41 percent.
While this study did not distinguish
between type 1 (formerly called “childhood-onset”) diabetes and type 2 (“adultonset”) diabetes, type 2 accounts for 90
percent to 95 percent of all diabetes cases.
Because type 2 diabetes often relates to
body weight, a change in diet and lifestyle can reduce the risk of the disease
and aid in its treatment.
Geiss LS, Pan L, Cadwell B, Gregg EW, Benjamin SM, Engelgau MM.
Changes in incidence of diabetes in U.S. adults, 1997-2003. Am J Prev
Med. 2006;30:371-377.
Winter 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
Summer
5
Nutrition & Prevention
PLAYING WITH
GRILLED CHICKEN CONTAINS
CANCER-CAUSING
COMPOUNDS
By Jennifer Reilly, R.D.
© iSTOCKPHOTO
H
ealth-conscious consumers have long steered
clear of the fat and cholesterol in fried chicken.
But grilled chicken may be even worse. Cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic
Grilling meat, especially chicken, amines (HCAs) have
been found in chicken,
produces compounds called
and the very highest
heterocyclic amines, or HCAs.
concentrations occur
when it is grilled.
In January 2005, the federal
Fried chicken is
government added HCAs to its
every bit as bad as
list of carcinogens.
you thought: A KFC
6
GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
chicken breast harbors 135 milligrams of cholesterol
and gets more than half its calories from fat. A typical
KFC chicken breast holds 400 calories and 24 grams
of fat, including 6 grams of saturated fat, the type associated with high cholesterol levels, breast cancer, and
insulin resistance.
And you don’t want to eat chicken undercooked. At
retail stores, salmonella and campylobacter are commonly found on chicken products. These live bacteria
easily transfer to cooking surfaces, utensils, and hands
and can cause a serious intestinal illness.
Many consumers have imagined that grilled chicken
is a healthier option. But scientific evidence suggests
Nutrition & Prevention
that, when it comes to cancer risk, grilled chicken could
be among the worst choices.
Higher Cancer Rates
Researchers have known for years that meat-eaters
have higher cancer rates, compared with people who
avoid meat.
Experts now know that grilling meat, especially
chicken, produces carcinogenic HCAs. HCAs are
formed from the creatinine, amino acids, and sugar
found in muscle tissue. More HCAs are produced by
long cooking times and hot temperatures, which make
grilling, pan frying, and oven broiling particularly
dangerous cooking methods.
In January 2005, the federal government added
HCAs to its list of carcinogens. But many Americans
remain unaware that these compounds lurk in cooked
meat. As known mutagens, HCAs can bind directly
to DNA and cause mutations, the first step in the
development of cancer. Grilling is also problematic
because when fat from meat drips onto an open flame,
carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) form and are deposited back onto the meat
through smoke.
Scientists have discovered more than 16 different
HCAs. One type commonly found in grilled meats
is PhIP, which has been on California’s list of cancercausing chemicals for more than a decade. Scientists
have not determined a safe consumption level of PhIP,
meaning that any amount is believed to potentially
increase cancer risk.
Recent studies have shown that the consumption of
well-done meat, which contains PhIP and other HCAs,
is associated with an increased risk for colon, rectal,
esophageal, lung, larynx, pancreatic, prostate, stomach,
and breast cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
In a recent review of 30 epidemiologic studies on
the link between eating well-done meat and cancer at
various sites, 80 percent of the studies showed a positive
correlation. HCAs have also been specifically linked to
colorectal cancer: One review found that high cooking
temperature increased colon cancer risk almost twofold
and increased risk for rectal cancer by 60 percent.
HCAs are not
the only cancer risk
that comes from eat- In a recent review of 30
ing meat. Countries
with a higher fat epidemiologic studies on the link
intake, especially fat between eating well-done meat
from animal prodand cancer at various sites, 80
ucts, have a higher
incidence of breast percent of the studies showed a
cancer. One hypoth- positive correlation.
esized reason is that
low-fiber, high-fat
foods increase the
amount of estrogen in the bloodstream, which encourages breast cancer cell growth. A similar phenomenon
Healthy Grilling Recipes
Barbecue Vegetable Brochettes
Makes about 8 brochettes
JOHN KELLY / NEW CENTURY NUTRITION
These colorful brochettes can be roasted
in the oven, or tossed on the grill for delicious picnic fare. Serve them on a bed of
brown rice, pasta, or bulgur.
1 pound very firm tofu (optional)
1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 small red onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1/2 pound crimini or button mushrooms
1 basket cherry tomatoes (optional)
1 medium zucchini (optional)
Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and
marinate it in some of the barbecue
sauce for 30 minutes or more. Cut the onion into 1-inch chunks, then separate the
layers. Cut the bell peppers into generous
bite-sized pieces. Remove the stems from
the mushrooms and the tomatoes. Cut
the zucchini into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
Thread the vegetables and marinated
tofu onto skewers.
Brush the brochettes with barbecue
sauce and place over medium-hot coals
for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with additional barbecue sauce.
Nutrition information per serving: 100
calories; 7 g protein; 13 g carbohydrate;
1.5 g fat; 238 mg sodium; 0 mg
cholesterol (more recipes on next page)
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
7
Nutrition & Prevention
can occur when men eat high-fat fare, leading to a
higher risk of prostate cancer.
The consumption of meat and other fatty foods is
strongly linked to colon cancer. Recent studies have
shown that red meat—even red meat cooked at a low
temperature—can increase colon cancer risk by as much
as 300 percent.
Avoiding HCAs
These facts seem to pose a dilemma for poultry-eating consumers. Cook chicken too little and you could
Healthy Grilling
Recipes
Grilled Polenta with
Portabello Mushrooms
Serves 4
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Grilling time: 15 minutes
1/2 cup polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal)
1 15-ounce can Swanson's Vegetable
Broth or 2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
4 large portabello mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 roasted red pepper, cut into thin strips
for garnish (optional)
8
GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
Prepare the marinade by stirring the
remaining ingredients together in a
large bowl.
Place the mushrooms upside down
in the marinade and let stand 10 to 15
minutes. Turn right side up and grill over
medium-hot coals about 5 minutes. Turn
and pour some of the marinade into each
of the cavities. Grill until mushrooms can
be pierced with a skewer, about 5 minutes longer.
Serve with grilled polenta. Garnish
with roasted red pepper strips, if desired.
Beet This Burger
Serves 6
This burger comes from Olinda ChoForsythe, a native of Guatemala and
a full-blooded Mayan. She developed
her burger recipe in the kitchens
of the Gran Fraternidad Universal,
an organization dedicated to world
peace and to promoting a vegetarian
diet through its centers and restaurants throughout Latin America. The
unusual addition of 1 tablespoon of
grated beets is just enough to give
this burger a pleasant color.
1 tablespoon finely grated raw beet
1/2 cup cooked oats
1 cup uncooked oats
1/2 cup coarsely ground walnuts
1/4 cup coarsely ground almonds
The polenta may be prepared up to
two days in advance. Simply cover and
refrigerate until ready to grill.
The polenta and mushrooms may be
broiled in the oven instead of grilled.
Many other vegetables are delicious
grilled as well. Grilled zucchini, eggplant,
sweet potatoes, peppers, or asparagus
would make great accompaniments.
Nutrition information per serving:
141 calories; 4 g protein; 20 g
carbohydrates; 3 g fat; 308 mg sodium;
0 mg cholesterol
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
(optional)
1/4 cup minced green pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon instant dry vegetable
broth
Tomato slices, for garnish
Mix all ingredients together well.
Form into 6 patties and grill until
cooked through. Serve on whole
wheat rolls with tomato slices and
your favorite condiments.
From The Vegetarian No-Cholesterol Barbecue Cookbook by Kate
Schumann and Virginina Messina, M.P.H., R.D.
PHOTODISC
Combine the polenta, vegetable broth,
and the 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
Pour into a 9- x 9-inch baking dish and
chill completely (at least 2 hours). To grill,
cut into wedges, brush or spray lightly
with olive oil, and cook over medium-hot
coals until nicely browned.
Clean the mushrooms and remove
the stems.
easily end up with a bacterial infection. Turn up the
heat enough to kill the bacteria, and you may create
cancer-causing compounds.
Here’s the answer: Instead of meat products, try
grilling up a homemade veggie burger or vegetable and
tofu kebobs.
Choosing plant-based foods can lower cancer risk
in other ways as well. Not only are plant foods low in
fat and high in protective fiber, but they also contain
antioxidants and phytochemicals, which have been
shown to help prevent cancer.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Nutrition & Prevention
Nutrition Researcher, Vegan Athletes
Promote Healthy Diets to Congress
M
embers of Congress and their staffs got a lesson in
nutrition when PCRM visited the Capitol with
healthy vegan food, a leading nutrition researcher, and
two vegan athletes. As Congress geared up to debate
Sen. Tom Harkin’s Child Nutrition Promotion and
School Lunch Protection Act, PCRM hosted a congressional briefing and reception on April 27 to educate
policy-makers about Congress’ role in helping America
get healthy.
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., a Cornell University
researcher and author of the groundbreaking book The
China Study, described the lessons learned from more
than 40 years of research into the links between diet and
disease. His landmark Oxford-Cornell-China Study on
Diet and Health showed that plant-based diets explain
the low rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in
certain areas of rural China.
Those lessons, Dr. Campbell said, should be applied
in the United States. “Nutrition, if properly understood,
can be a major solution to the medical care cost problem,” Dr. Campbell told the audience. He explained
how a low-fat, plant-based diet has been shown to
prevent, suspend, or cure a wide range of diseases from
diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease.
Also speaking were two vegan athletes at the top of
their fields: ultramarathoner Scott Jurek and Ironman
triathlete and author Brendan Brazier. Ultramarathons
can span more than 100 miles and occur in temperatures
ranging from 30 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Jurek has
dominated the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run
for each of the past seven years. In 2005, just two weeks
after winning Western States, Jurek set a course record
at the Badwater 135-mile Ultramarathon (24 hours,
36 minutes). Jurek credited his wins to his vegan diet,
which allows for faster recovery to restore his body to
a higher level of conditioning.
Brazier began experimenting with vegan diets to
enhance his athletic performance in 1990.
He said that a vegan diet allows him to
recover faster and therefore train harder,
and it has also improved his mental clarity. On May 6, Brazier won the Canadian
50km Ultra Marathon Championships in
Toronto and set a new course record of
3:10:52.
But Brazier’s concerns go beyond
athletic competition. He said that it is
imperative that we have better nutritional
choices in schools. “We’ve done a good job
educating kids on what foods are healthy
and what foods are not,” Brazier said.
“But kids are not always given the healthy
options and they will always choose the
path of least resistance.”
PCRM executive director Mindy
Kursban urged members of Congress to
support good nutrition through legislative action. One of PCRM’s key areas of
concern: Federal food assistance programs
such as the Women, Infants, and Children
Program need better nutritional standards
that not only promote healthy foods, but
also eliminate unhealthy foods. Kursban
said that the Child Nutrition Promotion
and School Lunch Protection Act, which
would update federal nutrition standards
and apply them to all food sold on school
grounds, is “a good first step in the battle
against obesity.”
PCRM also urged Congress to expand
the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to cover all 50 states. The program
is currently in place in only 14 states and
three Indian reservations.
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.
Scott Jurek
Brendan Brazier
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
9
Nutrition & Prevention
PCRM Seeks
Nominees for 2006
Golden Carrot Awards
D
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GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
Elsewhere, typical school
lunch menus are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, and low
in fruits, vegetables, and fiber.
The government’s own School
Nutrition Dietary Assessment
Study has found that an astonishing 80 percent of schools
serve too much fatty food in
the lunch line to comply with
federal guidelines.
Kids who eat a healthy vegetarian diet have lower risks of
high cholesterol, heart disease,
and many types of cancer.
Healthy school lunches could
also help curb childhood obesity,
which affects as many as five million youths ages six to 17.
The grand prize for the Golden
Carrot Awards is $5,000, with
$1,500 going to the food service
professional and $3,500 going to
the school’s food service program.
Up to four additional $1,000 awards
will be given to other winners. All
nominations must be received by
September 18, 2006.
To see all of the nomination guidelines
and to download a nomination form, please
visit www.HealthySchoolLunches.org.
CAEL CROFT/PCRM
oes your child come home from school raving
about the veggie burger or three-bean chili she
had for lunch? Not likely. Most schools still focus on
cheese pizza, burgers, and similar high-fat fare. But a
few schools do, in fact, serve healthful food, including vegetarian options. To recognize these leaders,
PCRM is seeking nominations for its annual Golden
Carrot Awards.
PCRM established the Golden Carrot Awards in
2004 to recognize food service professionals doing an
exceptional job of improving the healthfulness of school
lunches. PCRM is particularly interested in schools
that provide plenty of low-fat, vegan, whole grain, and
nondairy options.
“We want to recognize schools tackling the link
between childhood obesity and the high-fat, arteryclogging food typically served in the lunchroom,”
says nutritionist Dulcie Ward, R.D., who coordinates
PCRM’s Healthy School Lunch Campaign.
Schools will also be recognized for incorporating
plant-based commodity foods into their menus, promoting healthy choices—by serving healthy food a
la carte and in vending machines or limiting high-fat
products, for example—and offering nutrition education programs.
Last year’s Golden Carrot Award grand prize winner was Susan Wolfe-Hill, a chef and head of the
food service program
at Poughkeepsie Day
School in Poughkeepsie,
N.Y. At least half of the
choices on the school
menu are vegan, and all
the soups and stews are
homemade. Some typical menu items include
Louisiana-style red beans
and brown rice, penne
with broccoli, and butternut squash soup.
2005 Golden Carrot award winner Susan Wolfe-Hill
Research Issues
Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D., on
TOM KOCHEL
Pleasurable
Kingdom
I
n laboratories, animals are treated essentially like
medical supplies. They are shipped in, studied, and
disposed of. But increasingly, scientists are coming to
understand the complexities of animals’ psychological
and social lives. PCRM ethologist Jonathan Balcombe,
Ph.D., has been on tour discussing his new book Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good,
which explores animals’ capacity for happiness.
Pleasurable Kingdom focuses on an aspect of animals
that science has neglected: pleasure. Dr. Balcombe provides rigorous evidence, along with detailed anecdotes,
of different species showing a wide array of emotions
and behaviors.
Dr. Balcombe introduces his readers to the dichotomy between evolution and experience. Science tends to
look at animals through an evolutionary lens, he says,
but needs also to recognize their experiences.
“There may be evolutionary reasons why a dog wants
to play, but the animal isn’t thinking about genes or natu-
STEPHEN DORIAN MINER
Dr. Balcombe, pictured here in San
Francisco, traveled across the nation
to describe the surprising emotional
depth of non-human species.
Order your own copy
of Pleasurable Kingdom
on page 20 or from the
online Marketplace at
www.pcrm.org.
ral selection as he enjoys a game of tug or
fetch,” Dr. Balcombe says. “He is simply
acting based on his cognitive experience
and taking pleasure in his activity.”
Dr. Balcombe notes that pain in
animals has become more widely
recognized in recent decades. Animals
continue to suffer tremendously in
laboratory experiments and on factory farms. “I don’t believe we are
under the obligation to provide
pleasure for animals,” Dr. Balcombe
says. “But we do have the obligation
to not deprive them of the ability
to seek their own pleasure.”
When animals in a laboratory or
on a factory farm are denied social contact, exercise,
enjoyable food, or the ability to act on their natural instincts, Dr. Balcombe explains, we have deprived them
of basic pleasures that are critical to their well-being.
Dr. Balcombe encourages scientists to think more
about animal emotions and is bringing this issue to
the scientific community. “I hope that Pleasurable
Kingdom makes people see animals in a richer way,”
Dr. Balcombe said. “And I hope it also transforms our
behavior toward other species.”
To find out more about Pleasurable Kingdom, visit
www.PleasurableKingdom.com.
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
11
Research Issues
Drug Trial Tragedy Traced to
Animal Test Failure
By John J. Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C.
O
n March 13, 2006, six participants in a London
drug trial were sent to the hospital within hours
of receiving the first dose of a trial medication. All had
multiple organ failure and nearly died, and all may have
permanent immune system damage. The most critically
injured man was still hospitalized more than 10 weeks
later, and gangrene has caused sloughing of some of his
fingers and toes.
A subsequent inquiry by the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority
(MHRA) concluded that these disastrous results from
the monoclonal antibody TGN1412 were caused by
“[a] previously unknown biological effect on humans
that did not arise in any of the animal testing phases.”
TGN1412 is directed against a specific class of immune
cell receptors, and animal studies convinced the German
drug manufacturer TeGenero AG that TGN1412 was
12
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GOOD
GOOD MEDICINE
MEDICINE Summer
Summer 2006
2006
likely to be an effective treatment for human inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and certain
inflammation-mediated cancers such as B-cell chronic
lymphocytic leukemia.
Preliminary studies in mice and rats demonstrated a
consistent anti-inflammatory benefit from TGN1412.
Subsequent efficacy and safety studies in rabbits and
monkeys confirmed the mechanism of action, anti-inflammatory effects, and safety of the drug. An MHRA
spokeswoman later reported: “The trials on animals did
not give any grounds to say the clinical trial could not
go ahead.”
Yet the drug triggered lethal immune system attacks
on the participants’ own bodies, because it produced an
inflammatory cascade of killer T-cell activity rather than
the anti-inflammatory suppressor T-cell response seen
in all tested animal species. MHRA Executive Director
iSTOCKPHOTO
An MHRA spokeswoman
later reported: “The trials
on animals did not give any
grounds to say the clinical
trial could not go ahead.”
Research Issues
Prof. Kent Woods explained after the inquiry: “There
was a powerful pharmacological action of this drug in
man that was not detectable in tests on non-human
primates at far higher [500x] doses.”
What a Difference a Species Makes
TOM KOCHEL
This incident underscores a critical problem with the
way both the United Kingdom and the United States
evaluate the safety of new drugs. At issue is the dangerous reliance by drug companies and government
regulators on misleading animal testing. While progress has been made in replacing animal drug tests with
computer-based, in vitro, and human tissue methods,
all drugs are still safety tested in animals to select those
that will advance to human testing.
This approach has frequently proved unreliable, not
only creating disasters like TGN1412 and Vioxx (see
sidebar), but also likely preventing the discovery of
beneficial drugs because of failed animal safety tests.
Some non-animal testing methods for early stage
human drug testing are available. Microdosing allows
evaluation of drug activity in the human body using
sensitive imaging techniques and miniscule drug doses
that are only 1/100th of the dose that could cause drug
effects in the body. It is unknown whether microdosing
would have prevented the TGN1412 disaster.
Drug testing is a difficult process, and no current
testing methods are foolproof. But microdosing is one
of several techniques, including tissue engineering and
microfluidics methods using human tissues, that hold
particular promise. When combined with computerderived dosing information or sequential drug dosing
studies, microdosing allows for what may prove to be
less risky and more accurate safety testing in humans.
Microdosing’s accuracy has been validated in numerous studies, and it is endorsed by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration and the European Agency for the
Evaluation of Medicinal Products.
The recent events in London should prod drug
companies and regulatory agencies worldwide to move
quickly to consider microdosing as an alternative to
animal testing and a substitute for phase 1 trials as firstin-man testing. Refocusing efforts toward developing
and implementing this and other human-based testing
methods may greatly improve drug testing accuracy and
human safety.
A Troubled History
According to the FDA, 92 percent of drugs tested safe and effective
in animals fail during human trials, and over half of the 8 percent
gaining approval are later withdrawn or relabeled due to severe
side effects. Among the drugs that were safe in animal tests but later
banned for human use are the following.
Vioxx: The FDA’s Dr. David Graham called this
cox-2 inhibitor (anti-inflammatory drug) “the
single greatest drug-safety catastrophe in the
history of the world.” During four and a half
years on the market (until September 2004),
it is estimated to have caused 140,000160,000 serious cardiovascular events and
60,000-70,000 deaths in the U.S. alone. The
worldwide estimates are 320,000 cardiovascular events and 140,000 deaths. Vioxx
was not only safe but sometimes protective for cardiovascular
risk in at least eight studies in six animal species.
Baycol: A cholesterol-lowering drug approved in 1997, it was withdrawn in 2001 after causing over 100 deaths from rhabdomyolysis
(muscle destruction). This adverse effect was not seen in preclinical
tests in five animal species. After the drug was withdrawn, comparative studies showed that rat muscle cells were 200 times more resistant to the damaging effects of Baycol than human muscle cells.
Propulsid: A heartburn drug often prescribed for GI reflux, Propulsid caused over 300 deaths between 1993 and its withdrawal in
2000. Many of the deaths were among infants and children. Along
with the withdrawn allergy drugs Seldane (1992) and Hismanal
(1999), Propulsid caused fatal heart rhythm abnormalities.
Rezulin: This drug for diabetes mellitus showed heart toxicities but
no liver toxicities in animal studies. Approved in 1997 after clinical
trials showed no human heart toxicities, Rezulin was immediately
linked to severe liver damage. It was relabelled four times before
its withdrawal in 2000, after being linked to nearly 400 deaths and
many more cases of liver failure. Animal tests were thus
false negative for liver disease and false positive
for heart disease.
Cardiologist John J. Pippin, M.D.,
F.A.C.C., is a senior medical and research
adviser with the Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine.
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
13
Research Issues
W
Action Alert
Urge the FDA
to Implement
Non-Animal
Drug Tests
ithin hours of taking
their first dose of an
anti-inflammatory drug, six
participants in a recent London drug trial were hospitalized with severe swelling and
multiple organ failure. The
anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx
caused 150,000 heart attacks
and 60,000 deaths across the
country. More than 100,000
Americans die every year from
reactions to legal drugs. All of
these drugs had been proven
to be safe and effective in
several species of animals.
According to the Food and
Drug Administration, a staggering 90 percent of drugs
that pass animal tests are
found to be either harmful or
not beneficial to humans. Can
you help us convince the FDA
to implement safer alterna-
tives to animal testing when
developing new drugs?
Write to the acting
commissioner of the FDA:
Andrew C. von
Eschenbach, M.D.
Acting Commissioner
Food and Drug
Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Going Global for Ethical Research
PCRM Assumes Leadership of the International Council
on Animal Protection
P
CRM scientists are taking the lead in an international effort to end chemical tests that kill tens of
thousands of animals every year. In May, PCRM was
elected Secretariat of the International Council on Animal Protection in OECD Programmes (ICAPO).
The OECD (the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), headquartered in Paris, is
an international regulatory body with 30 member countries from North America, Asia, and Europe. A major
function of the OECD is to internationally harmonize
toxicity Test Guidelines and programs, which often
involve animals. ICAPO uses its standing at OECD
to advocate for policies that will reduce the number of
animals used in chemical tests and eliminate tests that
have non-animal alternatives.
The OECD’s international testing program is very
similar to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) High Production Volume Chemical Challenge
14
Megha Even, M.S.
GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
Kristie Stoick, M.P.H.
TOM KOCHEL
Chad Sandusky, Ph.D.
Screening Program. Animals are force-fed industrial
chemicals to measure lethal doses, and in some tests
pregnant animals are poisoned to determine if the
chemicals cause birth defects. This program kills tens
of thousands of animals each year in cruel experiments
that do not help protect human health or guard the
environment against chemical hazards.
The policies PCRM promotes through ICAPO
will reduce or eliminate animal experiments involving
chemicals with little likelihood of human exposure and
expand the use of “structure activity relationships,”
which allow for toxicity information from one chemical test to be extrapolated to similar chemicals. ICAPO
also strongly advocates for the adoption of in vitro Test
Guidelines to replace animal-based guidelines.
PCRM staff experts Chad Sandusky, Ph.D., director
of toxicology and research, Megha Even, M.S., research
consultant, and Kristie Stoick, M.P.H., research analyst,
bring a wide range of scientific knowledge and technical
experience to ICAPO.
Dr. Sandusky traveled to Tokyo in December 2005
to attend the 14th annual meeting of the OECD’s Task
Force on Existing Chemicals. Dr. Sandusky played a crucial role in encouraging the OECD to continue to use
existing chemical data and computer modeling, instead
of recommending new animal tests, on the chemicals
reviewed at the meeting. At this and other international
regulatory meetings, ICAPO’s presence was crucial in
influencing animal testing discussions, including the
deletion of current Test Guidelines involving animals
as modern, non-animal ones have been adopted.
Research Issues
Poll Finds Broad
Opposition to Covance’s
Animal-Testing Plans
MARC ANGEL
A
new opinion poll reveals that a clear majority of
the residents of Chandler, Ariz., oppose Covance’s
plans to build an animal-testing facility in their town.
The results of the survey, which was commissioned by
PCRM, were released at a June 20 news conference in
Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix.
At the event, three PCRM physicians joined PCRM
executive director Mindy Kursban, Esq., to discuss the
survey and explain the public health hazards and animal
welfare issues raised by the proposed 400,000-squarefoot facility.
Covance, a New Jersey-based company that tests
cosmetic ingredients, food additives, pesticides, and
drugs on monkeys, dogs, cats, and other animals, was
recently fined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
for physically abusing monkeys in violation of the
Animal Welfare Act. The company, operating under a
PCRM executive director Mindy Kursban at the June 20 news conference
Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H., and Deborah Wilson, M.D.
John J. Pippin, M.D.
different name, had a facility closed by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention because Ebola-infected
monkeys were brought into the building.
To learn more about Covance and public health
concerns in Chandler, visit www.ProtectChandler.org.
Providing Everyone a Clear Conscience
CHRIS QUAY
S
tephen Bartell always made it a point to only buy
cruelty-free products. So when he realized that he
couldn’t find contact lens products that were not animal-tested, he set out to create them himself. That was
eight years ago. Today, his company, Clear Conscience,
sells multi-purpose contact lens solution in more than
1,000 locations across the country.
Finding a supplier for saline solution was fairly
easy. But developing a cruelty-free multi-purpose
solution presented more challenges. “I had to go
over an ocean,” Bartell said of his attempts to find
a company in the United States that had no ties to
animal testing. Bartell finally found a company in
the United Kingdom that manufactures the multipurpose solution and ships it for distribution in the
United States.
Bartell is an environment and natural resource lawyer based in Washington, D.C. He became interested
in animal rights issues as a freshman at the University
of Miami. He spoke out against the use of primates at
the university’s medical school and began joining both
local and national animal rights organizations. Bartell
donates 10 percent of the proceeds from sales of his
contact lens solution to about a dozen different animal
welfare organizations.
Clear Conscience is certified by the Coalition for
Consumer Information on Cosmetics (www.leapingbunny.org), an independent organization that audits
companies that claim to be cruelty-free. Their certification assures consumers that Clear Conscience and
all affiliated companies and suppliers have never used
animal testing.
“Clear Conscience is dedicated to providing the approximately 32 million Americans who wear contact
lenses with products that are completely safety tested
without the use of animals,” Bartell said. “We want
those who wear contact lenses around the
world to be able to have clean, clear contact
lenses and a clear conscience.”
Clear Conscience is available at the
country’s two largest natural products
supermarkets, Whole Foods Markets
and Wild Oats Market, and in at least
500 independent health food stores. It’s
also available online at www.clearconscience.com and at www.pcrm.org.
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
15
The Cancer Project
The Cancer Project Update
PATRICK SULLIVAN/PCRM
New TV Spots Offer
Crash Course in
Kids’ Nutrition
crash test dummy becomes a real child in a high-chair
being fed a healthy vegetarian meal by her mom.
The second PSA features children weighed down
with awkward padding and other safety gear. The
message to parents: A lot goes into protecting children
from harm, but we should not overlook one of the best
protections of all—a healthy vegetarian diet.
Both PSAs will promote a Web site and toll-free
number through which parents can order a free booklet
packed with kid-friendly, healthy recipes and nutrition
information.
The Cancer Project staff was on-site for the filming,
which took place in Los Angeles in early June. The spots
will also have accompanying radio PSAs. The Cancer
Project will distribute the PSAs to television and radio
stations across the United States.
This summer, look for another Cancer Project TV
spot on your local stations. Mimicking a drug ad, this
PSA has a humble bean as its star. The spot begins
with a pharmacist counting what appear to be pills for
a lifesaving prescription. By the end of the piece, the
contents of the prescription bottle are revealed to be
beans, not pills.
Check www.CancerProject.org for regular updates
on these projects. On the Web site, you can also view
“Technology,” which stars PCRM physician members
and features a voice-over by Sir Anthony Hopkins. If
you’d like to help distribute our PSAs, please contact
Colleen Young at [email protected].
A
16
GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
ISTOCK
COLLEEN YOUNG/PCRM
dorable children in helmets, knees pads, and
other protective gear took a starring role before
the cameras this summer for the filming of The Cancer
Project’s two new television public service announcements (PSAs).
Parents work hard to protect their kids when they’re
biking, roller-skating, or participating in sports. But
what most threatens children’s health is not a tumble
on the sidewalk. Their biggest threat is unhealthy food.
These new PSAs urge parents to protect their children
early in life by feeding them a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other healthy vegetarian foods.
The first PSA shows scenes of crash test dummies
testing a bike helmet, a car seat, and a stroller. The final
The News You Need
The Cancer Project
By Jennifer Reilly, R.D., and Neal D. Barnard, M.D.
©iSTOCKPHOTO
lowered breast cancer risk by 14 percent. The protective effect was particularly strong for premenopausal
women. Many factors play a role in breast cancer incidence, including late age at first full-term pregnancy,
early menarche, obesity, lack of physical activity, alcohol
consumption, and other nutritional factors. Soy consumption during childhood and puberty may also play
a role in reducing breast cancer risk.
Trock BJ, Hilakivi-Clarke L, Clarke R. Meta-analysis of soy intake and breast cancer risk. J Natl
Cancer Inst. 2006 Apr 5;98:459-71.
Extra Belly Weight Increases
Colon Cancer Risk in Women
High Cholesterol Tied
to Prostate Cancer
A study of nearly 3,000 Italian men found a direct
relationship between cholesterol levels and prostate
cancer risk. Men over the age of 65 with prostate cancer
were 80 percent more likely to have high cholesterol,
compared with men who did not have prostate cancer.
Men under 65 with prostate cancer were 32 percent
more likely to have high cholesterol. The researchers
note that male hormones that play a role in prostate
cancer are synthesized from cholesterol. However, the
relationship could also be indirect since the dietary components responsible for increasing a prostate cancer risk
(such as high-fat meat and dairy products) also tend to
increase the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
The same steps that lower cholesterol may also lower
prostate cancer risk.
Extra body fat is linked to increased risk for colon
cancer. In an Australian study following 24,072 women
for 10 years, those with the most abdominal fat were
more likely than thinner women to develop colon cancer. Every four inches of extra abdominal girth increased
risk by 14 percent.
Other research has shown that the best way to lose
weight (or to maintain a healthy weight) is to follow
a diet built from whole grains, legumes, vegetables,
and fruit.
Macinnis RJ, English DR, Hopper JL, Gertig DM, Haydon AM, Giles GG. Body size and composition
and colon cancer risk in women. Int J Cancer. 2006 Mar 15;118:1496-500.
Bravi F, Scotti L, Bosetti C, et al. Self-reported history of hypercholesterolaemia and gallstones
and the risk of prostate cancer. Ann Oncol. 2006 Jun;17(6):1014-1017.
©iSTOCKPHOTO
Soy Food Consumption
Lowers Breast Cancer Risk
A new study shows that soybean products may reduce
breast cancer risk. A meta-analysis conducted at Johns
Hopkins School of Medicine examined the combined
results of 18 prior studies on soy exposure and breast
cancer risk published between 1978 and 2004. The
analysis found that among all women, high soy intake
www.CancerProject.org
The Cancer Project is a nonprofit PCRM subsidiary that advances
cancer prevention and survival through nutrition education and research.
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
17
Member Support
PCRM Earns Highest Rating from
Charity Navigator
F
or the third consecutive year, the
Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine has been awarded Charity Navigator’s highest rating—four stars—for
sound fiscal management. Charity Navigator is our nation’s largest independent
charity evaluator.
influence throughout the United States, it’s
important to us that our members know
how much we value their trust.
Out of 1.5 million nonprofits in the
United States, PCRM has been rated as
one of the most effective in using its donations. When you make a donation to
PCRM, you can be assured that your gift
is being used as effectively as possible to
help forward PCRM’s mission of promoting compassion and wellness.
According to a statement from Charity Navigator, “Only 12 percent of the
charities we’ve rated have received at
least two consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that the Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine
outperforms most charities in America
in its efforts to operate in the most fiscally responsible way possible. This consistency in your rating is an exceptional
feat, especially given the economic challenges many charities have had to face
in the last year.”
As we continue to expand our efforts and
Improved Online
Communication
We are constantly looking for better
ways to keep in touch with our members
and have recently taken steps to enhance
the way we communicate with you online and through e-mail. Our goal is to
make your experience with PCRM more
enjoyable and informative and, if you
like, allow you to become more involved.
You may have already noticed some improvements—we look forward to a more
interactive relationship very soon!
To receive PCRM news, bulletins, and
action alerts via e-mail, visit our Web site
or contact us at [email protected], or
202-686-2210, ext. 304.
With warm regards,
Betsy Wason
Director of Development
Become a Lifetime Partner
Lifetime Partners are PCRM members
who choose to include our organization in their estate plans or purchase
gift annuities. Each Lifetime Partner
receives a special certificate signed by
Dr. Neal Barnard, plus regular updates
throughout the year. For more information, please return this form or visit
www.pcrm.gift-planning.org.
Please mail to:
The PCRM Foundation
Attn: Membership Dept.
5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20016
Or contact us at:
[email protected],
202-686-2210, ext. 304
18
GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2006
 Please provide me with information on bequests or other estate planning
opportunities.
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE/PROVINCE
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
COUNTRY
E-MAIL
PHONE
 I have included PCRM as a beneficiary of my will or other estate plans, as follows:
GM06SM
Member Support
PCRM at The Garden
O
Scott Jurek; Ana Negron, M.D.; Brendan Brazier; and Neal
Barnard, M.D.
n April 28, PCRM hosted an elegant
member event at the U.S. Botanic
Garden, across the street from the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The
spectacular blooms and greenery made
the perfect backdrop for us to share news
about recent campaign victories and invite our supporters to continue to grow
with us. Special guests Anna Negron,
M.D., and two world-class vegan athletes, Brendan Brazier and Scott Jurek,
joined PCRM president Neal Barnard,
M.D., in addressing the crowd. The
evening was an excellent way for us to
update our members and get their feedback on how we’ve been doing. We will
be holding many more member events in
locations around the country. To receive
invitations to similar events, please be
sure we have your current contact information, including your e-mail address if
you have one.
Save the Date
October 21 Nanci Alexander will host a PCRM fund raising
luncheon at her award-winning Sublime restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
For details, please visit www.pcrm.org/sublime or contact Patricia Howard
at 202-686-2210, ext. 324.
April 2007 The Art of Compassion Gala. Plan to join us in
Washington, D.C., for an extraordinary fete. Details coming soon.
STEVE CUCOLO
In Memoriam 
PCRM’s Dulcie Ward , R.D., (right) explains PCRM’s Healthy
School Lunch program.
We are saddened at the recent passing of one of our longtime supporters,
Jane Kueno of Tampa, Fla. Jane was truly passionate about helping animals.
Many of you knew her as someone who encouraged other members to join
her as PCRM Lifetime Partners. Her commitment to end cruelty has benefited
animals around the world. We celebrate and honor her commitment.
Summer 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
19
©PHOTODISC
Just the Facts
London Drug Disaster
The six volunteers who
participated in a widely
publicized London trial of
an experimental drug that
left them seriously ill were
offered interim payments by
the drug’s manufacturer if
they agreed not to sue. The
drug, TGN 1412, had seemed
safe in tests on primates and
other animals, but within
minutes of the clinical trial’s
start, all six men experienced
life-threatening inflammation
of their tissues and multiple
organ failure. One man, 20year-old Ryan Wilson, is likely
to lose several fingers and
toes, and all six will have permanently damaged immune
systems. The offer—£5,000
(about $9,400)—was turned
down by each of the men.
Heart Disease Goes Global
Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms including
abdominal fat, cholesterol
disorders, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance,
among others, is known to be
related to fatty Western diets.
And now the condition—
which is linked to increased
risk of heart disease—is
becoming increasingly
common in China. According to a study in the Journal
of the American College of
Cardiology, about a third of a
sample of 2,334 people over
age 60 in the Beijing metropolitan area had metabolic
syndrome. The researchers
believe that as the economy
and lifestyle in China becomes more Westernized, so
too will the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Apr.
18, 2006.
PCRM ILLUSTRATIONS/DOUG HALL
Starling Grammar
Scientists recently reported
in the journal Nature that a group
of starlings were
able to differentiate between a
regular birdsong
“sentence” and
one containing a clause.
Starlings, whose songs are
made up of a complex mix of
whistles, warbles, and rattles,
make different combinations
of sounds in their songs. They
can even recognize other
starlings by learning another individual bird’s unique
sound combinations.
Just the Facts
A Mother of Thousands
Noelle has given
birth hundreds of
times. She’s a pregnant robot being
used for training in
hospitals and medical schools around
the globe. This hightech simulator was
created by Miamibased Gaumard
Scientific Co. Inc., and
models range from a $3,000
basic version to a very hightech $20,000 version. Noelle
can be programmed to experience many complications,
including breach presentation, and can be in labor for
hours or just minutes. She
ultimately gives birth to a
simulator baby that shows
vital signs when hooked up
to a monitor. The baby can
also change colors: a healthy
baby will be pink while a
baby experiencing oxygen
deficiency will be blue.
Paul Elias, “Robot Birth Simulator Gaining Popularity,” AP
A Little High Is Too High
Happy Campers
Many Americans have
borderline high blood pressure—a category between
normal blood pressure and
hypertension, sometimes
called “prehypertension.”
According to the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute, blood pressure that
is just a little high can still
increase one’s risk for heart
attack, stroke, blindness,
kidney disease, or congestive heart failure. People can
take control of their blood
pressure without medication
before it turns into hypertension by exercising and
eating plenty of whole grains,
fruits, and vegetables. It’s also
important to stay away from
foods high in fat, cholesterol,
and salt.
More and more summer
camps are making it easier
for kids to enjoy healthy—
and fun—vegetarian fare.
At Kids Make a Difference
Camp, based in Los Angeles,
camp director Andy Mars
serves only healthy vegan
meals. Campers learn how
to help with meal preparations—such as rolling their
own vegetarian sushi—and
roast veggie hot dogs over
the campfire.
HealthDay News, May 2, 2006.
Summer
Winter 2006 GOOD MEDICINE
23
Physician Profile
Sarah Keating, M.D.
S
arah Keating, M.D., spends most of her day in a laboratory
in the high-risk pregnancy unit at Mount Sinai Hospital
in Toronto. As a perinatal pathologist, Dr. Keating aims to
determine why some pregnancies go wrong so that they
can go right in the future. She is a medical detective—an
expert other doctors turn to for answers.
Although her behind-the-scenes work doesn’t allow her
the opportunity many doctors have to counsel patients on
health and nutrition, Dr. Keating finds other ways to speak
out about the benefits of healthy eating.
Dr. Keating has followed a vegetarian diet for 16 years
and removed all animal products from her diet over two
years ago. “I felt incredibly full of energy,” Dr. Keating said
of her transition to a vegan diet shortly before her 50th
birthday.“It was wonderful to turn 50 feeling the healthiest
I’ve ever felt.”
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During the several years
Dr. Keating has been a
member of PCRM, she has
written many letters to
the editor responding to
articles about health in Canadian newspapers. “There
is so much misinformation
out there,” Dr. Keating said.
“People still believe that
chicken is a health food.” A
letter from Dr. Keating that
appeared in the Toronto
Star responded to the findings of the Women’s Health
Initiative study, which some
people misinterpreted as
proof that low-fat diets
don’t reduce one’s risk of
cancer. Dr. Keating reminded readers that the study participants still ate animal products full of cholesterol and
saturated fat and that “only truly significant changes to our
eating habits can reduce our risk of disease.”
Dr. Keating is also on the board of the Toronto Vegetarian
Association. The group works to inspire people to adopt
a healthier, greener lifestyle by providing an informative
Web site (www.veg.ca), maintaining a resource center with
educational material, and attending wellness conferences.
Dr. Keating would also like to see more nutrition training for doctors.“Doctors are often asked for advice about
nutrition even if they don’t know what the latest studies
are saying,” Dr. Keating said. “They need to have up-todate information based on the latest scientific research
because the information we have about nutrition is advancing so quickly.”