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==FDA testing requirements==
{{#evp:youtube|j9b9IzSC2lE|Prescription for Disaster with Gary Null, PhD. - 2006|right|330300}}
The FDA requires massive amounts of animal testing for the marketing of industrial chemicals, vaccines, and drugs.
==Farm animal, meat & dairy issues==
=== Waste products fed to farm animals ===
=== Bovine growth hormones (rBGH) ===
[[Image:Bigudderbig.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Dairy cows on rBGH]] The FDA approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH) being injected into cows on February 4th, 1994. Both Europe and Canada turned down [[Monsanto]]'s application for approval. Developed and manufactured by the Monsanto, this genetically engineered hormone forces cows to artificially increase milk production by 10 to 15%. <ref>[http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/rbgh/#rf1 What Is rBGH & rBST?], Sustainable Table, accessed January 2009 </ref> Monsanto spent approximately half a billion dollars on a hormone to increase milk production (for an already glutted, taxpayer-subsidized market). Additionally, Posilac creates additional Growth Factor One (IGF-1) in milk (a growth hormone which is identical in cows and humans). IGF-1 is considered to be a fuel cell for cancer growth and has been identified in the rapid growth cancer. The FDA insists that IGF-1 is destroyed in the stomach. <ref>[http://www.igf-1-and-milk.com/igf-1-and-milk-statement-from-fda/ IGF-1 and Milk Statement from FDA], FDA.gov, accessed January 2009</ref> However, if that were true, the FDA has proven that breast feeding cannot work. <ref>Dave Rietz [http://www.rense.com/general26/milk.htm Dangers of Milk and Dairy Products - The Facts], Rense.com, July 2002</ref> It is worth noting that rBGH is banned in every industrialized country in the world except for the U.S., Mexico and Brazil. According to Dr. Michael Hanson of the Consumers Union of the U.S., there is strong scientific evidence to support potential health hazards of rBGH and a case for labeling dairy products that contain rBGH. <ref>Dr. Michael Hanson [http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbgh/0724_monsanto_rbgh.cfm rBGH & Monsanto's Recent Intimidation Tactics], [[Organic Consumers Association]], February 2003</ref>
The need for such for an increase in milk production has been questioned since the dairy industry has been overproducing for 60 years. Between 1986 and 1987, under the Dairy Termination Program, dairy farmers were paid over 1.3 billion dollars to slaughter their cows. 144 dairy producers received over one million apiece to refrain from dairy farming for five years and one California producer received 20 million dollars. However, according to the [[General Accounting Office]] (GAO); , "Total milk production did not decrease because nonparticipating farmers increased their production". <ref>James Bovard [http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp-013.html Our Next Criminal Class: Milk Bootleggers], [[Cato Institute]], June 1991</ref> Additionally, cows injected with rBGH also have a 25% increase in udder infections and a 50% increase in lameness. <ref>[http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/rbgh2.cfm rBGH/rBST], Center for Food Safety, accessed January 2009</ref> In August 2008, Monsanto sold their Posilac division to [[Eli Lilly]] .<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/08-20-2008/0004870564&EDATE Elanco Announces Acquisition of Posilac(R) Dairy Business], [[PR Newswire]], August 20, 2008</ref> See also [[meat & dairy industry]], section 4.
===EU ban on hormones & imports from U.S./Canada===
GMO (genetically modefied organism) soy beans are altered to enable plants to withstand weedkillers, particularly Monsanto's Roundup. The FDA tripled the allowable limit for residues of Roundup's active ingredients on harvested crops. Many scientists protested allowing increased residues to support the [[biotechnology]] industry. Even after Monsanto's own research raised safety concerns for Roundup Ready soybeans, the FDA did not call for further testing. Half the soybeans grown in the U.S. are Roundup Ready. According to Monsanto, they contain 29% less of the brain nutrient choline and 27% more trypsin inhibitor, a potential allergen. Soy is often prescribed and consumed for its phytoestrogen content; however, GMO soy beans have lower levels of phenylalanine, an essential amino acid that affects levels of phytoestrogens. Lectin levels, the usual culprit in soy allergies, are nearly double in GMO soybeans. <ref>John Robbins [http://foodrevolution.org/what_about_soy.htm What About Soy: Frankenfood Soy?], The Food Revolution, accessed December 2009</ref>
===Global GMO & herbicide market===
The top biotechnology companies are [[Monsanto]], [[DuPont]], [[Syngenta]] and [[Bayer]]. (Syngenta is a subsidiary of parent companies [[AstraZeneca]] and [[Novartis]]. [[Aventis]]' agribusiness division was bought out by Bayer.) They account for almost 100% of the genetically engineered seed and 60% of the global pesticide market. Thanks to recent acquisitions, they now own 23% of the commercial seed market. In 1999, almost 80% of total global transgenic acreage was planted in GMO soy, corn, cotton and canola. Until then, farmers could spray herbicides before planting, but not after, as herbicides would kill the intended crop. The other 20% of genetically modified acreage is planted with crops that produce pesticides. Monsanto’s "New Leaf" potato kills potato beetles, but is itself registered as a pesticide with the [[Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA). The five largest biotech companies in the world are also the five largest herbicide companies. GMOs ensure a continuous and ever-expanding market for their agrochemicals. <ref>John Robbins [http://www.celsias.com/article/the-food-revolution-genetic-engineering-part-i/ Genetic Engineering, Part I], The Food Revolution, accessed December 2009</ref>
===FDA Commissioners: 1998 to present===
Jane Henney served as Commissioner of the FDA from December 1998 until the newly-inaugurated President [[George W. Bush]] asked for her resignation in January 2001. <ref>{{cite Marlene Cimons [http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jan/20/news|title=/mn-14803 Bush Administration Dismisses Popular FDA Commissioner Henney|publisher=], [[Los Angeles Times]]| date=, January 20, 2001-01-20|author=Marlene Cimons}}</ref> Dr. Henney was the Director of the [[CIGNA]] Corporation between 2004 and 2007. She has also been Director of [[AmerisourceBergen]] and AstraZeneca, PLC. Dr. Henney was the VP of Health Affairs at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and a Sr. Scholar at the Association of Academic Health Centers, until 2003.
The chief position at the FDA remained vacant until the confirmation of [[Mark McClellan]] in November 2002. McClellan left the FDA in March 2004 to head the [[Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services]]. President Bush then appointed FDA acting commissioner and longtime deputy commissioner Lester Crawford in February of 2005. <ref>{{cite news|title=Marc Kaufman [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24553-2005Feb14.html Bush Nominates FDA Acting Chief To Be Permanent Head of Agency| publisher=], [[Washington Post]]|date=, February 15, 2005-02-15|author=Marc Kaufman}}</ref> He was confirmed in July of 2005. After Dr. Crawford's abrubt resignation on September 26, 2005; [[Andrew von Eschenbach]] was appointed as acting commissioner. <ref>{{cite news|title=Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar ''FDA chief asked to stay on; Bush nominates acting director| author=Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar|date=2006-03-16| publisher='', Seattle Times}}, March 16, 2006</ref> von Eschenbach was nominated in March 2006 and confirmed as the FDA Commissioner in December 2006.
In June of 2009, Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein was appointed by [[President Obama]] as FDA Commissioner. He had served as the Acting Commissioner between March and May of 2009. <ref>[http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CommissionersPage/ucm162062.htm Principal Deputy Commissioner], FDA.gov, June 2009</ref> [[Margaret Hamburg]], MD became the 21st Commissioner on May 18, 2009.<ref>[http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/ucm193998.htm Meet Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs], FDA.gov, January 2010</ref>
===Former FDA Chief pleads guilty in stock case===
In October of 2006, [[Lester Crawford]] pleaded guilty to conflicts of interest and false reporting of stocks he owned in companies he was in charge of regulating. He had "abruptly resigned" in September of 2005, after admitting to filing false financial reports. Beginning in 2002, Dr Crawford filed seven false reports with a government ethics office and Congress. As deputy, then commissioner and later commissioner of the FDA, he oversaw product regulations accounting for approximately 25 cents of every dollar spent by U.S. consumers. Dr. Crawford earned nearly $42,000 in dividends from illegally held shares while at FDA. Nearly $29,000 came from FDA regulated Embrex Inc., where he was the director. He and Mrs. Crawford also owned between $188,000 and $336,000 in shares for [[Pepsico]], [[Sysco]], [[Kimberly-Clark]] and [[Wal-Mart]]; all of which are "significantly regulated" by the FDA. <ref>Andrew Bridges [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/17/AR2006101700573.html Ex-FDA Chief Pleads Guilty in Stock Case], [[Washington Post]], October 2006</ref>
==="Food Safety Czar"===
* [http://www.amazon.com/FDA-Deception-Out-Control-Government/dp/1607660016/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b FDA: Failure, Deception, Abuse: The Story of an Out-of-Control Government Agency and What It Means for Your Health], (compiled by Life Extension Magazine), Praktikos Books, January 2010, ISBN 978-1607660019
[[category: government agencies]] [[category: Government agencies (US)]][[Category: Animal testing]] [[Category: Animal commerce]] [[Category: Food industry]] [[Category: Health]] [[Category: Cancer]] [[Category: Mad cow disease]] [[Category: Diseases]] [[Category: Industry lobby groups]] [[Category: Agriculture]] [[Category: Pharmaceutical industry]] [[Category: Biotechnology]]