by Anthony Gucciardi
DECEMBER 19, 2011
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Are you consuming Monsanto’s genetically engineered growth hormone known as rBGH? The synthetic hormone is created using molecules and DNA sequences that are a result of molecular cloning, which has been linked to breast and gastrointestinal cancer. Unfortunately, it is estimated that around 1/3 of cows in the United States are injected with this synthetic hormone, which means that you have most likely been highly exposed to rBGH if you live in the U.S. or have eaten U.S. dairy products.
RBGH is actually a synthetic version of natural bovine somatotropin (BST), a hormone produced in cows’ pituitary glands. Monsanto was the first to create the recombinant version from genetically eningeered E. coli bacteria, releasing the result under the brand name “Posilac.” Since then, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, Elanco Animal Health, have acquired the Posilac brand. It is important to remember that Eli Lilly and Company are the makers of suicide-linked Prozac, who were able to cover up the 1980s research which found antidepressants to breed even more depression and suicidal thoughts.
Despite public outcry and the warnings of international health professionals, rBGH is the largest selling dairy animal drug in America. In fact, the U.S. is the only developed nation to allow for humans to consume milk from cows given artificial growth hormone. Are U.S. government officials truly convinced that rBGH is safe for human consumption, or does it have more to do with the fact that key political figures who were instrumental in the approval of rBGH were actually affiliated with Monsanto?
• Margaret Miller was in charge of preparing the report on rBGH following its approval at Monsanto, she was later the official in charge of reviewing her own report as Deputy Director of Human Safety and Consultative Services.
• Michael R Taylor was a partner at the law firm that represented Monsanto on a variety of issues. Afterwards, Taylor became the FDA’s deputy commissioner for policy, where he wrote the FDA’s rBGH labelling guidelines. In these guidelines, it was claimed that there is no difference between rBGH and regular milk. This stance is part of the reason why rBGH is still legal in the United States. Taylor then spent a few years working directly for Monsanto, and has been brought back by Barack Obama as the Food Safety Czar.
If the process in which rBGH was approved is not suspect enough, peer-reviewed research has identified rBGH as a risk factor for both breast and gastrointestinal cancer. It is evident that Monsanto and Eli Lilly and Company are two companies that put profits before public health.