And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 18:29:26 -0400 From: "Day Starr (*No-qui-si*)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sunday May 2, 1999 > EU Scientists Say Beef Hormone Can Cause Cancer > > By Adrian Croft > > BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A new report by European Union scientists > finds strong evidence that one of six hormones used in the beef > industry could cause cancer, a conclusion which could drop a > bombshell into a transatlantic trade dispute. > > The scientists said however there were not enough data to draw > final conclusions about whether five other growth-promoting > hormones used to raise cattle in North America were safe for > human consumption. > > The report, a summary of which was obtained by Reuters Saturday, > will stir controversy days before a key May 13 deadline in a > World Trade Organization (WTO) case involving the EU's decade-old > ban on imports of hormone-treated beef. > > The study, to be discussed by the EU's executive Commission next > week, gives ammunition to those EU officials who, on consumer > safety grounds, oppose a U.S. demand that the bloc's ban be > lifted by May 13. > > The report by the EU's Scientific Committee on Veterinary > Measures relating to Public Health "will break the Commission in > two," one EU source predicted. > > The committee met amid great secrecy Thursday and Friday to > complete a preliminary risk assessment of the hormones. > > "As concerns excess intake of hormone residues...a risk to the > consumer has been identified with different levels of conclusive > evidence for the six hormones in question," a summary of their > report said. > > It said there was substantial recent evidence suggesting that one > hormone, 17 beta oestradiol, "has to be considered as a complete > carcinogen, as it exerts both tumor initiating and tumor > promoting effects. > > "For the other five hormones...the current state of knowledge > does not allow a quantitative estimate of the risk." > > However, it added that for all six hormones various health > effects "could be envisaged," including developmental, > immunological, neurobiological and carcinogenic effects. > > "Of the various susceptible risk groups, prepubertal children is > the group of greatest concern," it said. > > The United States has threatened punitive duties on hundreds of > millions of dollars of EU exports, including meat, motorcycles > and chocolate, if the EU does not lift the ban. > > Canada is also threatening trade sanctions. > > The row worsened this week when the Commission threatened to ban > all U.S. beef imports from June 15 after traces of hormones were > found in supposedly hormone-free U.S. beef. > > A separate report by Commission officials and private experts > looked into the possible risks of misuse of hormones in the > cattle industry, for example if hormones were wrongly > administered or cattle were given overdoses. > > The draft report said misuse of the hormones produced "a > significant increase in risk." > > "Human exposure and risk are in particular increased by the fact > that regulatory controls over residues of hormones in meat > introduced into commerce are deficient in the USA and are > insufficient in Canada," it said. > > The United States, which insists hormone-treated beef is safe, > maintains that a WTO ruling last year means the EU must lift its > ban on hormone-treated beef by May 13. The EU argues that the WTO > ruling simply required it to produce new scientific studies on > possible risks from eating the meat. > > The EU ordered 17 new scientific studies but they are not yet > finished. The EU scientific committee considered interim findings > of the studies in its preliminary risk assessment. > > EU and U.S. officials have been discussing labeling of U.S. beef > as a possible temporary solution to the row but the new report > could reinforce critics of this option. > > ****************************************************************** > John E. Peck, c/o UW Greens, 731 State St., Madison WI 53703 > tel. #608-262-9036 fax. #608-251-3267 www.studentorg.wisc.edu/greens/ > > "If you're not trying to make something better, then as far as I can tell > you are just in the way." - Ani DiFranco > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > eGroup home: http://www.eGroups.com/group/urban-ecology > http://www.eGroups.com - Simplifying group communications -- Back To The Blanket Journal: http://www.angelfire.com/biz/BackToTheBlanket Heroine Mu Gui-Ying http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/7111 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Give back to your community through "Grow to Give." http://www.onelist.com See homepage for details. Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
