Health Canada Seeks Input on Adding Anti-Cancer Drug to Junk Food[Yahoo.com - 12/22/09]
OTTAWA wants to know what you think about its unusual proposal to put a cancer-fighting drug into junk food.
Health Canada is inviting public comments until February 21 on its idea to have small amounts of the enzyme asparaginase put into foods like potato chips and french fries. On its website, Health Canada says its scientists have finished a detailed safety assessment on the enzyme and haven't found any health or safety concerns.
At issue is the chemical acrylamide, which is found as a cooking byproduct in the production of foods like french fries and potato chips and has been linked to cancer in animals.
Research suggests asparaginase reduces acrylamide production.
Health Canada notes the enzyme is used in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Denmark, and has been given a favourable evaluation by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. END
Cancer-Fighting Additive Weighed for Junk Food
"I thought Health Canada was supposed to encourage healthy eating habits," Judith Ryan told CBC News. "If the additive is used, people will think junk food is safe and eat more. The result will be more obesity, more diabetes and more heart disease, and eventually more costs to the health-care system. How smart is this?"
COMMENTS
Since asparaginase is already being used in much of Europe and the USA, I would like to know what products contain it, and what the European/US experience has been with it.
Millions of "test subjects" out there - why not find out how they're doing? Otherwise, we're all just providing knee-jerk reactions to a poorly explained proposal.
Canadians are denied the information concerning whether or not the food they consume is of GM origin and yet we are to trust Health Canada to put some beneficial additive in the food supply?
This is unacceptable! Drug used in chemo therapy for certain cancers, added to food staples: bread, flour and potato products? Seriously? I don't think so!
Big Pharma is going to benefit from it. They will have a huge nation wide trial study on unsuspecting citizens. In couple of years, it will be discovered that it was not such a good idea, and maybe even they will pay some damages. But, make no mistake, big pharma will make enough profit from sales of Asparaginase (and other drugs used to treat complications from Asparaginase consumption), so law suits cost will be peanuts to them.
Who is not going to benefit from it is YOU. Yes, you, the one reading comments now!
Search for "Say No To Asparaginase!" group on the FaceBook, Join and please, DO ACT.
Call your MP, write to Health Canada, call Bureau of Chemical Safety, anything else you can come up with.
Let's stop the madness!
How much more will it take for people to realize that fast food and most snack food is crap. Vitamins are already added back into that stuff just to make it qualify as food.
Now drugs might be added so it won't kill you. This is insane.
Asparaginase (Crisantaspase)
This page tells you about the possible side effects of asparaginase (also called crisantaspase and Erwinase).
ABOUT
Asparaginase is a chemotherapy drug that is used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). One form is made from a type of bacteria called escherichia coli. Another form of asparaginase is made from Erwinia chrysanthemi bacteria and is called crisantaspase. Asparaginase is an enzyme that breaks down another chemical in tumour cells. The tumour cells need this chemical to make protein - they need to make protein to make new cancer cells.
You may have asparaginase as an injection into a vein (IV). But you are more likely to have it as a series of injections into a muscle in your arm or leg (IM). [...]
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
1. Fatigue
2. Feeling or being sick
3. High temperatures (fever) and chills
4. Bruising more easily
5. Increased risk of getting blood clots
6. Loss of appetite
7. This drug may be harmful to a developing baby so it is not advisable to get pregnant or father a child if you are having this drug.
8. Loss of fertility
9. Liver changes
10. Allergic reactions
OCCASIONAL SIDE EFFECTS
1. Rise in blood sugar
2. Change in mood or sleepiness.
RARE SIDE EFFECTS
With this drug, a few people have a temporary drop in the number of blood cells made by the bone marrow, leading to the following side effects:
1. Increased risk of getting an infection
2. Tiredness and breathlessness
3. Bruising more easily due to a drop in platelets
Some of these side effects can be life threatening, particularly infections. You should contact your doctor if you have any of these side effects.
OTHER RARE SIDE EFFECTS
1. Inflammation of the pancreas
2. Asparaginase can very rarely be toxic to your nervous system and cause drowsiness, loss of energy, confusion, agitation or hallucination - tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
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