June 2005

Doctors announce lawsuits against major food companies

Suits aimed at stopping national advertising campaigns claiming dairy foods facilitate weight loss

WASHINGTON--The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) will announce two major lawsuits aimed at stopping multi-million-dollar national advertising campaigns by five of the nation's largest food companies and major dairy trade groups that claim that milk and other dairy products facilitate weight loss.

WHO:

T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.: Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University. He is the nationally recognized director of the China Diet and Health Study.

Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D.: Senior Nutrition Scientist, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Dan Kinburn, Esq.: Senior Legal Counsel, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Catherine Holmes: Plaintiff.

Mindy Kursban, Esq.: Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 28, 10 a.m.

WHERE: National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC - First Amendment Room.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Two-way teleconference available. CALL 888-243-1119 to log into media briefing.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical research studies, opposes unethical human experimentation, and promotes alternatives to animal research.

RELATED LINKS

* Get Real, Dr. Phil! ad
http://www.getrealaboutmilk.org/USAToday_PCRMad.pdf

* FDA Petition (PDF)
http://www.pcrm.org/news/downloads/FDA_petition.pdf

* FTC Petition (PDF)
http://www.pcrm.org/news/downloads/ftc_petition050421.pdf

* "Shouldn't I drink milk?" fact sheet
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/milk.html

* Recent study: Dairy does not promote bone health
http://www.pcrm.org/cgi-bin/lists/mail.cgi?flavor=archive&list=news&id=20050307093449

* "What's Wrong with Dairy Products?" fact sheet
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/dairy.html