Man Hunger Strikes re: rbGH

Today was Robert Cohen's 131st day of a hunger strike meant to bring attention to the dangers of genetically-engineered milk (specifically rbGH: recombinant bovine growth hormone), a Frankenfood creation of Monsanto, which the FDA has defended and approved.

The bovine growth hormone and its genetically engineered version both contain 191 amino acids. Human growth hormone also contains 191 amino acids. The gene sequence between the two species differs, however, by a factor of 35%. IGF-I in humans and cows contains 70 amino acids and the gene sequence is identical.1 IGF-I has been called a key factor in prostate cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer.

Since Monsanto has no right to sell rbGH milk (or any other kind, for that matter), this is a case where not waiting for the scientific community to prove whether that it is safe could very well cost lives. Monsanto should have the burden to prove conclusively, and to the satisfaction of citizen groups and independent scientists, that it is safe before it's approved by the FDA. Since this is apparent to anyone with at least half a brain, one can only conclude that the FDA is acting not based on the public interest, but based on the best, short-term interests of Monsanto, which of course cannot be counted on to do anything but grab for as much short-term profit as possible.

We might, as citizens of a democracy, have a fighting chance to resist successfully the corporatization of everyday life if we had a partner in the federal, state and local government; alas, all too often, the government's already working for the corporation.