August 13, 2008
Stop the Killer Horse Hormones
Categories: Health, Safety, Downsizer-Dispatch
Quote of the Day:"In a society in which it is a moral offense to be different from your neighbor your only escape is to never let them find out."
-- Robert A. Heinlein
Subject: Stop the Killer Horse Hormones
Estrogen hormones derived from animals have dangerous side-effects. Estriol doesn't. But the FDA has banned Estriol in favor of the animal derived hormones. Here's why ...
Wyeth Pharmaceutical makes animal derived hormone medications. On October 6, 2005 Wyeth petitioned the FDA to prohibit the use of Estriol, a competitor to Wyeth's "horse hormones." Estriol is chemically identical to human estrogen, while Wyeth's horse hormones are not. Animal derived hormones are associated with a number of health risks, such as blood clots and cancer, while Estriol is associated with a vast number of health benefits, and NO negative side-effects.
On January 9, 2008 the FDA responded to Wyeth's petition by banning the use of Estriol.
It's infuriating to note that the FDA's response to the Wyeth petition calls it a citizen's petition. It was no such thing. It was a petition from a corporation seeking government aid to prohibit a competing product at the cost of increased danger to women's health. By contrast, 70,000 doctors, women, and other real citizens petitioned the FDA to deny Wyeth's request, but the FDA partially sided with Wyeth anyway.
It's even more infuriating to note that the FDA admitted in a press conference announcing the ban that it knew of no evidence of any harm associated with the use of Estriol.
The American Association for Health Freedom summarizes the case for Estriol as follows: "Compounded bio-identical hormones have been used for 50 years, are listed in the US Pharmacopoeia, are state-regulated, are available only with a doctor’s prescription, and were protected by a previous Act of Congress (FDA Modernization Act 1997)."
The FDA admits that it granted Wyeth's request simply because Estriol has not endured the FDA's costly and time consuming approval process. But should the estrogen that naturally flows in a woman's body have to be approved by the FDA? Of course not. Neither then, should Estriol, which is chemically identical to that estrogen! Estriol is human estrogen.
If Estriol needs to be banned from the market then perhaps all women should report to an FDA lab to have their Estriol removed from their bodies.
We are joining with the American Association for Health Freedom to try to stop this outrage. We want to pass two resolutions in Congress: H. Con. Res. 342 and S. Con. Res. 88. Please ask your Representative and your two Senators to co-sponsor H. Con. Res. 342 and S. Con. Res. 88. You can do so here.
We would also like to note that if Downsize DC's "Write the Laws Act" were the law of the land this FDA action would not have been possible. Please send another message in support of the "Write the Laws Act," and use your personal comments to mention the Estriol ban as a reason why we need the "Write the Laws Act." You can send that message here.
Please also consider making a contribution to further our work. You can do so here.
Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC army.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Technorati Tags: Downsize DC FDA Estriol
Posted by Jim Babka at August 13, 2008 - 11:38 AM |
Health | Safety | Downsizer-Dispatch
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