Good Medicine From the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine / Summer 2010 / Vol. XIX, No.

3 ®

Beyond Mice
and Monkeys
PCRM Conference Explores Alternatives to Animal Research

VaxDesign’s MIMIC System

Athletes, Celebrities Ask Congress for Healthier School Meals • Facial Expressions of Mice
in Pain • Double Down or Double Bypass? • BEST Practices Act Gains New Supporters •
Five Foods to Avoid at Mexican Restaurants • The Anti-Arthritis Diet • PCRM Confronts
NASA Monkey Experiments
Editorial

New Science Demands Stronger Protections

A yumu lives in Kyoto, Japan. At just 7 years of age, he made quite a name for himself. He sidled up to a
computer at Kyoto University. On the screen, the numbers 1 through 9 appeared in random order. He
touched each number in sequence as he had been taught to do. The numbers then appeared in new posi-
tions, and again, Ayumu touched each one in the correct numerical sequence. But then things got harder.
The newly scrambled numbers appeared again, but only for a fraction of a second before being replaced
by blank squares, and Ayumu had to remember where the numbers had been. He still touched the squares
where the numbers had been in exactly the right order. He did it over and over again, with amazing accuracy.
Researcher Tetsuro Matsuzawa, Ph.D., then pitted Ayumu against university students several times his
age. Ayumu’s memory was far more accurate than the students’. Then British memory champion Ben Prid-
more, a 30-year-old accountant from Derby who can memorize the order of a shuffled pack of cards in 30
seconds, took his turn against Ayumu. He was no match. In fact, no human was a match for Ayumu. Ayumu
is a chimpanzee. For some evolutionary reason, chimpanzees have developed an extremely acute short-term
memory, far beyond that with which humans are equipped.
Biologists have come to recognize that animals—even those we think of as humble—have many capa-
bilities that are greater than we had appreciated. Squids decipher the colored communication patterns that
radiate up and down each others’ sides. Dogs detect smells and sounds that are out of humans’ detection
range. Starlings coordinate their flights millisecond by millisecond in ways that make human aviators look
absolutely clumsy.  
These neurological differences have fueled many Ph.D. dissertations and countless television documentaries.
But in the world of research ethics, these issues are much more than theoretical. Earlier this year, researchers
showed that mice grimace in pain, very much the way humans do. If mice feel pain as much as we do, what
does this tell us about how animal research should be regulated? If chimpanzees retain an intensely acute
memory for recent events, what sorts of protections do they need against psychological trauma?
Up until now, animal protection guidelines have stacked species on a crude scale of biological value.
Those at the top of the scale were protected; those at the bottom were not. Biologists now know that such
hierarchies have no scientific basis.
So what shall we do? The U.S. Animal Welfare Act currently requires investigators to consider alterna-
tives, a task that is often reduced to a checked box on a research application. It is now clear that is not
good enough. Researchers need to really consider alternatives, and they need to
Up until now, animal implement them. And when alternatives are not readily available, they need to
pursue them.
protection guidelines have
PCRM researchers did exactly that in developing a new test for measuring
stacked species on a crude human insulin levels. Previous methods used animals essentially as living antibody
scale of biological value. factories, inserting clusters of cells in their abdomens that triggered the production
of massive amounts of abdominal fluid, which was tapped off with needles, along
with the antibodies it contained. So when we set out to develop a better method,
using cells instead of animals, we were told it was not possible. As it turned out, it
did take some time and money. But our new insulin assay turned out to be better,
not just ethically, but also technically, and is now the industry standard.
As physicians and scientists, we cannot ignore what animal behaviorists have shown
us. Rather, we need to embrace new and better research methods that allow science
to progress without suffering.  
Harry Giglio

Neal D. Barnard, M.D.

President of PCRM

2 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010

Good Medicine®
Contents
Contents
From the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine
Summer 2010 Vol. XIX, No. 3
Editor in Chief Neal D. Barnard, M.D.
Managing Editor/Designer Doug Hall
Editor Carrie Mumah
Associate Editor Patrick Sullivan
Production Manager Lynne Crane
Senior Web Designer Lisa Schulz
AdvisOrY bOARD
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. Cornell University
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. The Cleveland Clinic
Henry J. Heimlich, M.D., Sc.D. The Heimlich Institute
Suzanne Havala Hobbs, Dr.P.H., M.S., R.D.
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Lawrence Kushi, Sc.D. Kaiser Permanente
John McDougall, M.D. McDougall Program
Virginia Messina, M.P.H., R.D. Nutrition Matters, Inc. 6 8 11 12 19
Milton Mills, M.D. Gilead Medical Group
Myriam Parham, R.D., C.D.E., C.L.C. Florida Hospital Zephyrhills
William Roberts, M.D. Baylor Cardiovascular Institute
Andrew Weil, M.D. University of Arizona Research Issues
Affiliations are listed for identification only. 6 Beyond Mice and Monkeys: PCRM Conference Explores Alternatives to Animal Research
PCRM STAFF • Kristin Adair Public Affairs Associate & Legislative Counsel • Nancy Beck,
Ph.D. Scientific and Policy Adviser • Noelle Callahan Research Program Coordinator • Lynne 8 PCRM Confronts NASA Monkey Experiments
Crane Production Manager • Cael Croft Associate Designer • Claudia Delman, M.P.H. Out-
reach Manager • Debra Durham, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist • Jill Eckart, C.H.H.C. As- Facial Expressions of Mice in Pain
sistant to the President • Leah Engel Executive Assistant • Tara Failey Communications Coor-
dinator • Hope Ferdowsian, M.D., M.P.H. Director of Research Policy • Rebecca Frye Research
9 Doctor Files Complaint Over Tulane’s Pig Lab
Program Coordinator • Jessica Frost Communications Coordinator • Noah Gittell Research and New Society Promotes Nonanimal Chemical Testing
Education Programs Coordinator • Doug Hall Publications Director • Vaishali Honawar Com-
munications Coordinator • Patricia Howard Advertising and PSA Manager • Michael Keevi- 10 PCRM in East Africa
can Web Editor/Staff Writer • Mark Kennedy, Esq. Associate General Counsel • Dan Kinburn,
Esq. General Counsel • Leah Koeppel Nutrition and Research Assistant • Elizabeth Kucinich Nutrition and Prevention
Director of Public Affairs • Ruby Lathon, Ph.D. Nutrition Policy Manager • Susan Levin, M.S., 10 PCRM’s New Doctor’s Office Outreach Program
R.D. Director of Nutrition Education • Lynn Maurer Associate Designer • Jeanne Stuart McVey
Media Relations Manager • Ryan Merkley Manager of Research and Education Programs • 11 Get Healthy, Go Vegan with Dr. Barnard’s New Cookbooks
Carrie Mumah Staff Writer • John Pippin, M.D. Senior Medical and Research Adviser • Chip
Rogers Legislative Director • Leslie Rudloff, Esq. Senior Counsel • Chad Sandusky, Ph.D. Double Down or Double Bypass?
Director of Toxicology and Regulatory Testing • Lisa Schulz Web Designer • Kathryn Strong,
M.S., R.D. Dietitian • Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H. Scientific and Policy Adviser • Patrick Sullivan Kickstart Your Diet
Director of Communications • Caroline Trapp, M.S.N., A.P.R.N., B.C.-ADM, C.D.E. Director
of Diabetes Education and Care • THE CANCER PROJECT • Joseph Gonzales, R.D. Dietitian 12 The Anti-Arthritis Diet
• Sanjay Jain Educational Program and Volunteer Coordinator • Lauray MacElhern Man-
aging Director • Dawnyel Pryor Marketing Manager • Emily Richard Educational Program
PCRM Helps Improve D.C. School Nutrition
Manager • PCRM FOUNDATION • Nabila Abdulwahab Data Processor • Bruce Banks Staff PCRM Legislative Fund
Accountant • Melinda Beard Receptionist • Nikki Bollaert, M.N.M., C.F.R.E., C.A.P. Director
of Special Gifts • Deniz Corcoran Data Entry Manager • Sossena Dagne Data Processor • John 13 Advancing the PCRM Mission
Evans Database/Web Developer • Riva Gebel Major Gifts Officer • Stacey Glaeser Director
of Human Resources • Erica Hanna Information Technology Manager • Lesley Hill Budget
Pamela Anderson Supports Great Ape Protection Act
Coordinator • Stephen Kane Finance Director • Jacqueline Keller Development Assistant • 14 Pushing for Better Test Methods
JohnR Llewellyn Internet Marketing Manager • Garron Marsh Facilities Coordinator • Andria
Matrone Membership Assistant • Debbi Miller Special Events Manager • Eden Mohammed BEST Practices Act Gains New Supporters
Office Services Coordinator • Margaret Murray Major Gifts Officer • John Netzel Facilities
Manager • Will Oliver Literature Fulfillment Coordinator • Manali Patel Staff Accountant • 15 Athletes, Celebrities Ask Congress for Healthier School Meals
Sarah Petersen Human Resources Coordinator • Kalpesh Suthar Accounts Payable Co-
ordinator • Betsy Wason, C.F.R.E. Director of Development • Rod Weaver Data Manager • Hollywood Supports Healthy School Meals Act
Christopher Wright Finance Assistant • Craig Ziskin Associate Director of Annual Giving •
The Cancer Project
WASHINGTON CENTER FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH • Jia Xu, Ph.D. Clinical Research Coordina-
tor • Kavita Rajasekhar, M.D. Clinical Research Coordinator • CONSULTANTS • Jarrod Bailey, 16 The Cancer Project Update Five Foods to Avoid at Mexican Restaurants
Ph.D. • Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D. • Laura Beck • Michelle Cehn • Elizabeth Cummings • Amber
Green, R.D. • Jennifer Huff • Amy Lanou, Ph.D. • Paul Marcone • Suzan Porto • Jennifer Reilly, 17 The News You Need
R.D. • Garrett Strang Departments
Good Medicine is published quarterly by the Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine, 5100Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400,Washington, 4 The Latest in...
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membership benefit to PCRM members. Basic annual membership in
18 Member Support 25th Anniversary PCRM Gala / Award Winners
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medicine, ethical research practices, and compassionate medical policy.
Readers are welcome to reprint articles without additional permission. Please include the 23 Just the Facts
credit line: Reprinted from Good Medicine, Summer 2010, Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine. Articles are not to be reprinted for resale. Please contact PCRM at permissions@ 24 Physician Profile A Star Pediatrician: Jay Gordon, M.D. Cover Poster: vaxdesign / iSTOCKPHOTO
pcrm.org regarding other permissions. ©PCRM 2010.
Good Medicine is not intended as individual medical advice. Persons with medical conditions PCRM Phone Extensions 202-686-2210
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 The Latest in…
The Latest in…
Research Ethics By Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H.
Toxicity Testing
Nonanimal Neurotoxicity Model Shows Promise
A scientist with the Environmental
Protection Agency is working on a
strategy to replace neurotoxicity testing
on animals. The developmental neuro-
toxicity test typically involves dosing
pregnant animals with chemicals and
then testing their offspring for neurode-
velopmental defects.
While the test is intended to detect
chemicals that might be harmful to a
child’s developing neural system, it is
difficult to link results of these tests to
Europe’s New Guide on
Avoiding Animal Testing
T he European Chemicals Agency
(ECHA) recently published
a guide to help industry avoid
animal testing. ECHA is imple-
menting Europe’s new chemical
regulation REACH, which will
require companies around the
world to perform tests on their
chemicals—including animal
tests.
Following meetings in
which PCRM and other
organizations pushed the
agency to do more to pre-
vent animal testing, it has published a
series of six practical guides for using
nonanimal alternatives and an overall
guide on avoiding animal testing. The
agency has also promised consequences
4 GOOD MEDICINE Winter
Summer 2010
2006
human neurodevelopmental diseases,
such as autism spectrum disorder.
In the EPA laboratories in North
Carolina, Josh Harrill, Ph.D., is working
to model in a test tube all the ways neural
cells can be disturbed by toxins. Putting
istockphoto
these models together will help scientists
determine how a chemical might affect
the developing nervous system.
His work with an assay that measures
lack of neurite outgrowth from neural
cells uses human cells, which he found
were more sensitive to neurotoxins than
were rat cells. Preliminary tests with
several different neurotoxins known
to inhibit neurite outgrowth show this
model to be a promising step in develop-
ing a nonanimal method.
Presented at the Society of Toxicology annual meeting, March 2010.
New Strategy Could Reduce
Animal-Based Cancer Tests
T he Food and Drug Administration
may adopt a new strategy that could
prevent up to 40 percent of animal-
based cancer tests. The FDA currently
requires drug companies to test most
eUROPEAN cHEMICAL aGENCY
new pharmaceuticals on two species of
animals—rats and mice—for two years
to see if the animals develop cancer. These
tests can use between 1,000 and 1,500
animals per pharmaceutical.
This year, scientists with the pharma-
ceutical industry trade group PhRMA
presented a plan in which they would use
information from prior studies, obviat-
ing the need for new tests. According
to an analysis of past data, this method
may prevent 40 percent of cancer tests.
for companies that do not attempt to The FDA is reviewing the data and may
use available nonanimal strategies before modify their requirements later this year.
conducting animal tests. Presented at the Society of Toxicology annual meeting, March 2010.
 Nutrition By Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., and Kathryn Strong, M.S., R.D.
The Latest in…

WEIGHT CONTROL

Military Eyes Healthier School Food, Slimmer Recruits

served in schools to address our nation’s
childhood obesity crisis, which threatens
the future strength of our military.
Christenson W, Taggart A, Messner-Zidell S. Too fat to fight: retired mili-
tary leaders want junk food out of America’s schools. Washington, DC:
Mission: Readiness;2010. Available at: http://missionreadiness.org./
MR%20National%20Obesity%20Report.pdf. Accessed April 20, 2010.

What’s Contributing to Obesity? Meat, Cheese, Grease, Ice Cream

A n increase in childhood obesity re-

flects increased intake of oils, meat,
cheese, and frozen desserts, according to
a new study by PCRM president Neal
i WANT YOU Barnard, M.D., in the American Journal
TO EAT BETTER!
of Clinical Nutrition. Dr. Barnard looked

U
istockphoto

nhealthful foods served in school at food data maintained by the U.S.

lunch lines could be undermining
national security, according to a new
report by senior retired military leaders
who are pushing for smart investments
in future generations. The report shows
that three-fourths of young adults age 17
to 24 are unable to serve in the military,
and excess weight is the most common
medical reason. The report authors are
calling on Congress to take immediate
Department of Agriculture from 1909 to
2007. Meat intake rose from 123 pounds
to more than 200 pounds per person per
year with a greater than sixfold increase
in chicken and turkey intake alone. In
2007, Americans also ate nine times
more cheese and 16 times more frozen
desserts than they did in 1909. Oil intake
increased from 35 pounds to more than
86 pounds per person per year during
the same interval. Since 1970 (no prior
data available), sweetener consumption
doubled, mostly from carbonated bev-
erages. Other long-term trends include
decreased grain consumption, decreased
fluid milk consumption, and increased
fruit (mostly juices) and vegetable intake.
Barnard ND. Trends in food availability, 1909-2007. Am J Clin Nutr.
2010;91(suppl):1S-7S.

steps to improve foods and beverages

BONE HEALTH
CORONARY HEALTH

Erectile Dysfunction Linked

to Heart Disease

E rectile dysfunction, or ED, is associ-

ated with increased risk of fatal heart
attacks, according to a new study in the
journal Circulation. Among 1,519 adult
istockphoto

male research participants, those with

Animal Protein Bad for Bones
ED had twice the risk of death from any
cause, compared with those without ED.
Men with ED were also 60 percent more
likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or
A nimal protein is associated with
decreased bone health, according
to a recent study in the British Journal
changes. Bone mass was measured at
the beginning of the study and at 12,
24, 48, and 60 months. While calcium
heart-related hospitalization or death.
of Nutrition. In Beijing, 757 girls with intake was positively associated with
The new study confirms previous find-
an average age of 10 years were ran- bone health, animal protein, especially
ings showing that both ED and heart dis-
domly assigned to a group consuming from meat and eggs, was negatively as-
ease are usually signs of atherosclerosis.
Bohm M, Baumhakel M, Teo K, et al. Erectile dysfunction predicts
cow’s milk fortified with calcium, one sociated with bone mineral density and
cardiovascular events in high-risk patients receiving Telmisartan,
Ramipril, or both. The ONgoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination
consuming cow’s milk fortified with content.
with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial/Telmisartan Randomized Assess-
ment Study in ACE intolerant subjects with cardiovascular Disease
calcium and vitamin D, or a third group Zhang Q, Ma G, Greenfield H, et al. The association between dietary
protein intake and bone mass accretion in pubertal girls with low
(ONTARGET/TRANSCEND) Trials. Circulation. 2010;121:1439-1446. that served as controls and made no calcium intakes. Br J Nutr. 2010;103:714-723.

Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE

Winter 2006 5
Research Issues
Beyond Mice and M
PCRM Conference Explores Alternatives to Animal Research
H is company created a surrogate human immune
system that assesses human responses to potential
vaccines and drugs. Her organization revolutionized
breast cancer research by connecting women directly
with clinical researchers. William L. Warren, Ph.D., and
Susan Love, M.D., will join 20 other scientific experts
speaking at PCRM’s upcoming conference on progress
in reducing and replacing animal experimentation.
Animal experimentation has long raised ethical
objections, along with questions about its applicability
to human health. These issues are debated often—but
rarely studied and discussed in an organized forum.
August 26 and 27, 2010
Washington, D.C.
Find more information and register today at
http://ResearchAlternatives.org
Join experts from around the world fifty years after the
development of the key model for the refinement, reduction,
and replacement of animals in research.
Medical professionals, scientists, ethicists, policymakers, and
students are welcome.
A continuing medical education event
(Category 1, Maximum 16.5 credits)
Sponsored by
PCRM
P h y sicians
C o mmittee
f o r
R esp o nsib l e
M edicine
6 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010
PCRM’s “Animals, Research, and Alternatives: Mea-
suring Progress 50 Years Later” conference will bring
together global experts this August in Washington,
D.C., to discuss the scientific and ethical imperatives
associated with animal research.
Reduce, Replace, Refine, Reevaluate
An often-cited model for protecting animals in
research, the “3 Rs,” was first described in the 1959
book The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique
by W.M.S. Russell and R.L. Burch.
The “3 Rs” ask researchers to reduce the number of
animals used to the minimum necessary, refine or limit
the pain and distress to which animals are exposed, and
replace the use of animals with nonanimal alternatives
when possible or use species deemed to be less capable
of pain and distress.
While the “3 Rs” were once viewed as a step forward,
advancements in our understanding of animals and of
scientific needs over the past five decades require a re-
evaluation of mandates regarding the use of animals in
research. Fifty years after the “3 Rs” were first defined,
PCRM will facilitate a reevaluation of this model.
Alternatives Abound
Scientists, physicians, and others will present scien-
tific considerations related to animal research. They will
cover the genetic and physiological differences between
humans and various animal species, the economics of
animal testing, and the modern approaches and testing
methods that can replace the use of animals in research.
Replacements for animal tests, which share the ad-
vantages of being human biology-based, include in vitro
technologies, computer modeling, tissue engineering,
epidemiological and clinical studies, genetic methods,
and microdosing technologies.
William L. Warren, Ph.D., the CEO and founder of
VaxDesign Corporation, will discuss the benefits and
applications of his company’s recently developed in vitro
human immune system, which assesses new drugs and
vaccines more accurately, compared with tests using
animal methods.
 Research Issues

onkeys
VAXDESIGN CORPORATION

A Human Immune
System in a Test Tube

T he immune system is complex, adaptive, and remark-

ably effective. Its defense mechanisms are specific to an
individual’s body and its tissues and cells. Research using
animals has been limited in its ability to predict how the hu-
man body will react to pathogens and treatments.
VaxDesign Corporation recently developed a model of
the human immune system that can predict an individual’s
immune response to a drug or vaccine candidate. MIMIC, or
the Modular Immune In vitro Construct, is one of a growing
number of alternatives to animal research.
Because MIMIC is based on human immune cells, it
shows human responses and can accurately predict unde-
sirable responses. The system can also include a donor base
of hundreds of individuals, accessing potential responses in
diverse populations.
The MIMIC System is designed to replace the use of
animals for a range of research purposes, including vaccine
testing. For example, researchers have been working to
develop an HIV/AIDS vaccine for decades. More than 85
vaccines have demonstrated positive outcomes in chim-
panzees, but none have been effective in human trials.
The research community has seen similar failures in using
chimpanzees in research to develop a hepatitis C vaccine.
The MIMIC System can process thousands of tests each
month and is highly predictive. It could help accelerate the
process of developing these and other vaccines—while
producing data relevant to human populations.
VaxDesign is already working with the International
AIDS Vaccine Initiative, other nongovernmental organi-
zations, the federal government, and leading pharma-
ceutical and biotechnology companies to improve their
productivity and advance the effectiveness and efficiency
of medical research.

Susan Love, M.D., of the Love/Avon Army of mentation. Distinguished researchers, veterinarians, and
Women will explain how her organization has chal- ethicists will speak about animals’ cognitive and affective
lenged breast cancer researchers to expand their focus capabilities and the effects of the pain and stress endured
to prevention research conducted on healthy women. by animals used in research.
The Army of Women has created a direct partnership Lori Marino, Ph.D., of Emory University will discuss
between scientists conducting clinical trials and women noninvasive research on dolphin and whale cognition.
who may qualify to participate in the trials. Dr. Marino is the author of more than 80 publica-
Robert J. Kavlock, Ph.D., will share the Environ- tions, including the first definitive evidence of mirror
mental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) perspective of the self-recognition in bottlenose dolphins. Alicia Karas,
future of chemical testing. Dr. Kavlock is the director of D.V.M., an assistant professor at Tufts University, stud-
the newly formed National Center for Computational ies methods of pain assessment and treatment in mice,
Toxicology (NCCT) within the EPA’s Office of Research rabbits, and dogs. She will speak about the physiological
and Development. His talk will cover how nonanimal effects of the pain and stress millions of mice endure in
testing methods fit into the NCCT’s mission to improve laboratories.
risk identification in assessing environmental chemicals. Other speakers will cover nonhuman primate cog-
nition, the emotional lives of animals, international
The Impact on Animals frameworks for animal protection, mood and anxiety
In addition to scientific considerations, speakers will disorders in chimpanzees, and other areas with ethical
examine the ethical considerations of animal experi- implications for using animals in experiments.

Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 7

Research Issues
PCRM Confronts
NASA Monkey Experiments
“B elmont, we have a problem,” proclaimed PCRM’s
billboards and train station ads near McLean
Hospital in Belmont, Mass. The ads alerted Belmont
commuters to NASA-funded monkey radiation experi-
ments taking place at McLean.
The $1.75 million experiments, proposed by McLean
researcher Jack Bergman, Ph.D., involve exposing live
squirrel monkeys to harmful radiation at Brookhaven
National Laboratory on Long Island. The animals will
then be shipped to McLean and compelled to perform
tasks to test for cognitive impairment. The primates will
Facial Expressions of Mice in Pain
M ice grimace in response to pain, just as humans
do, according to a recent experiment that involved
subjecting mice to harmful stimuli. Researchers found
that, like humans, mice show pain with facial expres-
sions that become more intense with greater levels of
inflicted pain.
To conduct this experiment, researchers at McGill
University in Montreal, Canada, harmed mice using
8 GOOD MEDICINE
GOOD MEDICINE Summer
Summer 2010
2010
be housed alone in steel cages for at least four years and
iSTOCKPHOTO
subjected to daily restraint in primate chairs.
NASA is funding the monkey radiation experi-
ments in an attempt to shed light on the effects of
deep space radiation on a human astronaut bound
for Mars. But PCRM says the taxpayer money slated
for the experiments would be better spent on human-
centered methods, including human simulators
equipped with sensors.
“These experiments are both inhumane and scientifi-
cally unsound,” says John J. Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C.,
PCRM’s senior medical and research adviser. “Blasting
squirrel monkeys with radiation won’t help us under-
stand how humans can survive the complex dangers of
interplanetary travel.”
On June 10, PCRM led a peaceful protest in front
of McLean Hospital. The hospital was also presented
with pledges from several primate sanctuaries willing
to provide homes for the monkeys if McLean agrees to
release them.
ONLINE > Ask McLean Hospital president Scott Rauch,
M.D., to cancel these experiments: PCRM.org/NASA.
various stimuli, including dipping their tails in hot
water and injecting them with acid. The researchers
detected five signs of pain in the mice: they close their
eyes tightly, their noses bulge, their cheeks bulge, they
draw their ears apart, and they move their whiskers.
The researchers claimed this experiment will lead to
better treatment of mice in laboratories. PCRM experts
say the experiments were both unnecessary and unethi-
cal, even though they demonstrated the painfulness of
laboratory experiments.
“Decades of research have provided indisputable
evidence that rodents experience pain and fear—but the
number of mice used in research is increasing, rather
than decreasing,” says Hope Ferdowsian, M.D., M.P.H.,
PCRM’s director of research policy. “Our understanding
of animal cognition and emotion is expanding quickly,
but animal research protections have been slow to fol-
low. It is time for scientists to change the ways in which
research is conducted.”
At PCRM’s upcoming Animals, Research, and
Alternatives conference, global experts will discuss
iSTOCKPHOTO
this issue and share ideas about how to move research
ethics forward.
 Research Issues

Doctor Files Complaint Over Tulane’s Pig Lab

T ulane University is one of America’s oldest medi-
cal schools, but it is one of the last in the nation
to replace live animals in trauma training courses.
This March, Louisiana physician and PCRM member
Leslie Brown, M.D., filed a complaint with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture alleging that Tulane is in
violation of the Animal Welfare Act for using animals
LESLIE BROWN

in trauma training.
In Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training
at Tulane, trainees cut into live, anesthetized pigs and
practice emergency medical procedures. After the train-
ing session, the pigs are killed.
“Using animals is not only cruel, it is a substandard
way to teach emergency procedures that will be used on
humans,” says John J. Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C., PCRM
senior medical and research adviser. “The school should
immediately replace the use of animals with state-of-
the-art trauma training simulators that are already
available in the Tulane simulation center.”
PCRM doctors lead a peaceful demonstration at Tulane.
Human-based simulators such as the TraumaMan
System have been approved by the American College
of Surgeons as a replacement for animal use in ATLS
courses; 95 percent of medical facilities that teach
ATLS courses have already switched to nonanimal
teaching methods.
ONLINE > To ask Tulane’s dean to end the use of animals in the
school’s ATLS program, visit PCRM.org.

New Society Promotes Nonanimal

Chemical Testing
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P CRM and the Institute for

In Vitro Sciences Inc. have
formed a new scientific society to promote nonanimal
toxicological testing methods. This is the first scientific
society in North America devoted to such a mission.
Through regular meetings and activities, the Ameri-
can Society for Cellular and Computational Toxicology
will facilitate the development, acceptance, and routine
use of cellular and computational toxicology methods
by open dialogue among industry, academic, advocacy,
and regulatory scientists. The society will strive to in-
clude the participation of young scientists.
The Institute for In Vitro Sciences Inc. and PCRM
were inspired to create the society by the surge of
interest in toxicology since the publication of Toxicity
Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy, a
2007 National Academy of Sciences report calling for a
new toxicity testing strategy based on human cells and
tissues instead of animals.
Action Alert
Contact the FDA About Animal Testing
E very day, thousands of animals are experimented on and killed
to create and test drugs, many of which will never help a sick
human being. That’s why PCRM and an international coalition
of scientists, doctors, and animal-protection organizations filed
the Mandatory Alternatives Petition with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. The petition asks the FDA to mandate the use of
validated nonanimal testing methods, when those alternatives
exist, to create safer drugs for American consumers.
The FDA is currently reviewing the initiative. During this time, we
need you to contact the FDA and urge the agency to mandate the
use of validated alternatives to animal tests. Please write to:
Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

ONLINE > To learn more about the Mandatory Alternatives

ONLINE > Check out the American Society for
Petition, visit Alternatives-Petition.org. To sign PCRM’s online
Cellular and Computational Toxicology’s new
petition to the FDA, go to Support.PCRM.org/FDA_Petition.
website: ASCCTox.org.

Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 9

Research Issues
PCRM in East Africa
P CRM’s Hope Ferdowsian, M.D., M.P.H., and
Debra Durham, Ph.D., recently traveled to East
Africa to collect data for a study on mental health in
chimpanzees previously used in laboratories. This is
Dr. Ferdowsian’s journal entry at the end of the trip:
May 10, 2010
We’ve just reached the end of our journey in East
Africa, and it has been a phenomenal trip. We’ve col-
lected data on more than 300 chimpanzees in the wild
and in African sanctuaries. This data will be the basis
for comparison with chimpanzees previously used in
research and currently in sanctuaries in the United
States, Japan, and the Netherlands, for our study on
mental illness in traumatized chimpan-
zees. We haven’t been afraid to get our
hands (and feet) dirty while here. Deb
helped with chimpanzee care when she
wasn’t collecting data, and I worked
with a response team to help resolve a
medical outbreak.
While Deb finished the week by
wrapping up data collection for our
chimpanzee study, I concluded a week
of media interviews and presentations
at the University of Nairobi campuses
for the College of Veterinary Medicine
and the Colleges of Medicine, Phar-
macy, and Dentistry. At the university,
Prevention & Nutrition
PCRM’s New Doctor’s Office Outreach Program
S o, you’re sitting in your underwear, waiting for
the doctor to come into the exam room. The
minutes are slowly ticking by, and you’ve already read
the dog-eared copy of People and all the fine print on
the diplomas on the wall.
Wouldn’t this be a perfect time to actually get some
information about health? We thought so, too.
PCRM has launched a new
ONLINE > Doctors: Order your free
package of materials at PCRM.org/
Doctor’s Office Outreach
DoctorOutreach. program to provide physician
members with the tools they
need for educating patients about nutrition’s role in
maintaining good health. With a stack of Vegetarian
10 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010
I talked with en-
thusiastic stu-
dents and faculty
members about
alternatives to the
use of animals in
education and Hope Ferdowsian, M.D., M.P.H., (left)
research. Earlier presents a completion certificate for
this week, I had nursing Continuing Medical Education.
a 45-minute live interview with a popular Kenyan TV
host about the benefits of vegetarian diets. The switch-
board lit up with calls that spilled into the next show.
Unfortunately, Africa is no exception to the growing
number of areas affected by chronic diseases like heart
disease, diabetes, and cancer. At the request of our Ugan-
dan study partners, Deb and I worked with our research
assistant to set up a continuing education program for
Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust
nurses in rural villages. I spoke for hours about the im-
portance of nutrition and then answered questions on
everything from medical management of HIV to peptic
ulcer disease. Local residents prepared a healthful and
abundant vegan meal that included plantains, beans,
greens, cassava, and other locally grown fruits, vegetables,
and grains. Our message was welcome, and we received
invitations to return and expand our work in this area.
We’re looking forward to our return to the United
States, but we’re also looking forward to a return trip
to Kenya in September for a pan-Africa conference on
animal welfare.
Starter Kits at the registration desk and colorful, eye-
catching posters in every exam room, PCRM doctors
are ready to spread a lifesaving message.

Get Healthy, Go Vegan with Dr. Barnard’s New Cookbooks
T wo new PCRM cookbooks encourage everyone
from beginners to expert chefs to prepare more
plant-based meals. From quick and delicious Fire-
Roasted Tomato Black Bean Chili to exotic Chilled
Canary Melon and Green Zebra Tomato Soup with
Tofu Cardamom Cream, recipes in The Get Healthy, Go
Vegan Cookbook and The Best in the World III: Healthful
Recipes from Exclusive and Out-of-the-way Restaurants
demonstrate that a vegan diet is easy and delicious.
“For most people, starting a vegan diet is an eye-
opening experience,” says PCRM president Neal Bar-
nard, M.D. “They start to lose unwanted pounds, their
energy improves, and their digestion gets better. If they
have diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure,
these problems begin to improve, too. Headaches and
joint pains start to melt away.”
Double Down or Double Bypass?
K FC’s new Double
Down sandwich
consists of high-fat
bacon and high-fat
cheese sandwiched be-
tween two pieces of
high-fat fried chicken.
In April, PCRM dietitians urged KFC not to ad-
vertise the Double Down to children and to post a
warning about the health risks associated with the
high-fat sandwich.
In a letter to David C. Novak, chairman of Yum!
Brands Inc., the company that owns KFC, Susan
Levin, M.S., R.D., the director of nutrition educa-
tion for PCRM, calls the sandwich a “symbol of
corporate irresponsibility” at a time when America
Kickstart Your Diet
P CRM’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program has al-
ready given more than 65,000 people the chance to
try a healthful vegan diet. Now, Hollywood celebrities,
star athletes, chefs, and nutrition experts are teaming
up again to launch a Kickstart that will begin Sept. 6.
Kickstarters receive daily e-mails for a step-by-
step diet makeover, including recipes and nutrition
webcasts. The Kickstart offers an interactive support
Prevention & Nutrition
In The Get Healthy, Go Vegan
Cookbook, Dr. Barnard and nutri-
tionist Robyn Webb offer meals
that use familiar ingredients, require
minimal effort, are free of animal
products, are low in fat, and have a
low-to-moderate glycemic index.
The Best in the World III, edited by Dr. Barnard,
features delicious and unique recipes from restaurants
across the globe. Join monks in a temple courtyard in the
Far East, passengers on a French luxury yacht, or even a
rock star in Akron, Ohio, for an unforgettable culinary
adventure. Often exotic and always flavorful, these plant-
based recipes are designed to
TO ORDER > See PCRM Marketplace
be within the abilities of any
on page 21 or visit PCRM.org/shop.
amateur chef.
is grappling with record childhood obesity numbers.
“The Double Down has death wish appeal,” Levin
says. “The Double Down combo meal has more than
half the maximum amount of fat and calories that
most adults should consume in an entire day—and
approaches the maximum recommended amount of
sodium for a whole day. Children shouldn’t be exposed
to advertisements for this
absurd product.” ONLINE > Take action! Join PCRM
The “Original Recipe” in urging KFC to keep the Double
version of the Double Down Down out of children’s hands:
stacks up at 540 calories, 32 PCRM.org/DoubleDown.
grams of fat, and 1,380 mil-
ligrams of sodium. The Double Down Combo Meal
contains 1,000 calories, 45 grams of fat, and 2,120
milligrams of sodium.
network—including a Facebook
fan page and a discussion board
featuring registered dietitians—to
help participants make sustain-
able dietary changes. If you are
already following a vegan diet,
this program can help you cut
down on oils and other fats and add more healthful
meals to your menu.
ONLINE > Sign up for the Sept. 6 Kickstart: 21DayKickstart.org.
Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 11
Prevention & Nutrition

The Anti-Arthritis Diet

B roadway dancer, singer, and actress Donna
McKechnie was at the height of her career, starring
in the hit musical A Chorus Line. In 1976, she earned
Four years later, she was diagnosed with rheuma-
toid arthritis. She was told that she would never again
dance—or even walk. It appeared to be the end of
the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. her career.
She was determined to recover. A year
later, with the help of diet and lifestyle
A New Pillow, or a New Diet? changes, she rebounded and was per-
forming again. She credited a healthful
years old. But facts were facts, and her diet free of dairy products, red meat,
symptoms were not going away. She caffeine, and other arthritis triggers.
started taking prednisone—a steroid. For years, people have suspected that
She then started on methotrexate and diet plays a role in arthritis. Many have
plaquenil. But it was not enough and noticed improvements when they avoid
soon she had to stop working. dairy products or certain other foods.
“I started spending all my time Initially, the evidence was anecdotal.
researching arthritis,” says Armstrong. But an increasing volume of research
“There was very little information shows that dietary changes do help. A
about food and arthritis, but I soon 2002 study looked at the influence of a
came across Dr. Barnard’s book Foods very low-fat vegan diet on moderate to
that Fight Pain and other research on severe rheumatoid arthritis. After people
Dana Armstrong, R.D., C.D.E.
foods that are inflammatory.” with arthritis followed a vegan diet for
After reading Dr. Barnard’s book four weeks, almost all their symptoms

D ana Armstrong, a registered di-

etitian in Monterey, Calif., started
having neck pain in 2007. At first, she
thought she might need a new pillow.
Then her whole body started to hurt,
and she wondered if it was a result of
stress from working long hours.
“Exercise soon became painful,” says
Armstrong. “My hands even started
hurting when I was on the elliptical.”
She had a physical a week before a
family vacation and lab results showed
she had rheumatoid arthritis. After her
family’s drive to Phoenix, she could not
even get out of bed. She was only 49
and The China Study by T. Colin
Campbell, Ph.D., she went completely
vegan. Her symptoms started to
disappear. She then went to Dr. John
McDougall’s 10-Day Live-In Program,
and he suggested she stop taking her
medications and supplements. She
did. After a few months on her new
diet, not only did she recover from
arthritis, she also lost 40 pounds and
experienced other health benefits,
including eliminating her cystic acne.
“I also sleep very well now,” says
Armstrong. “Apparently I didn’t need a
new pillow!”
decreased significantly. Another study
found that a gluten-free vegan diet im-
proved the signs of arthritis. A raw vegan
diet was shown to decrease joint stiffness
and pain in another study.
Vegan diets omit dairy products, meat,
and eggs, all of which are common trig-
gers for joint pain. They also dramatically
reduce intake of fat, especially saturated
fat. This can affect the immune processes
that influence arthritis. Vegetables are
also rich in antioxidants, which can neu-
tralize free radicals. Free radicals attack
many parts of the body and intensify
aging processes, including those of the
joints.

PCRM Helps Improve D.C. School Nutrition

T he Council of the District of Columbia has passed
what may be the strongest measure passed by any
jurisdiction in the battle against childhood obesity.
In May, the council passed the D.C. Healthy Schools
Act, raising nutritional standards, bringing affordable,
healthy food to low-income neighborhoods, encourag-
ing vegetarian options, and increasing health education
and physical activity. The council felt it had no choice.
Nearly half the city’s children are overweight or obese.
PCRM dietitian Kathryn Strong, M.S., R.D.,
worked with D.C. council members on the nutrition
aspects of this bill.

12 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010

 PCRM Legislative Fund

Advancing the
PCRM Mission
P CRM’s legislative work has grown in recent years,
and we created the PCRM Legislative Fund last
December to be a voice for change on Capitol Hill and
in state legislatures.
As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the PCRM
Legislative Fund helps shape important public policy
reforms in the areas of ethics and health.
To support the legislative fund, simply send a con-
tribution using the envelope enclosed in this issue or
make a secure gift online at PCRMLF.org.
ONLINE > To stay informed about our legislative
campaigns, sign up online to be a part of our
Chris Quay

rapidly growing Legislative Action Network.

Pamela Anderson Supports Great Ape

Protection Act
A ctress Pamela Anderson recently joined the PCRM
Legislative Fund in urging Congress to support the
Great Ape Protection Act. The act would ban invasive
The Great Ape Protection
Act, which has nearly 150
congressional co-sponsors,
chimpanzee experiments and support human-based would end invasive ex-
research methods. In a letter to lawmakers, Anderson periments on chimpanzees,
zeroed in on chimpanzee experiments on hepatitis C. release the 500 federally
“As one of more than 3 million Americans living owned chimpanzees to sanc-
with hepatitis C,” she wrote, “I am writing to ask that tuaries, and prohibit the
you take steps to end ineffective and cruel research us- future breeding of chimpan-
ing chimpanzees and direct federal funds to modern, zees for research.
human-based research methods that will be more effec- Based on observational
tive at finding a vaccine and treatment for hepatitis C pilot data, PCRM prima-
GETTy Images

and other deadly diseases.” tologist Debra Durham,

Decades of experiments in chimpanzees have not
yielded a human vaccine against hepatitis C. The
hepatitis C virus behaves very differently in humans
and chimpanzees. Chimpanzees are rarely chronically
infected by hepatitis C, and maternal-fetal transmis-
sion is much less likely than in humans. Currently,
leading hepatitis C researchers are using cell-based
research methods instead of animals. Chimpanzee
research has also failed HIV, malaria, cancer, and
neurological research.
Ph.D., and PCRM director
of research policy Hope Fer-
dowsian, M.D., M.P.H., have found that chimpanzees
once forced to live in laboratory settings can display
symptoms similar to those seen in humans suffering
from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and
other anxiety disorders.
ONLINE > To join Pamela Anderson in urging Congress to pass the
Great Ape Protection Act, visit PCRMLF.org/GAPA.

Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 13

PCRM Legislative Fund
Pushing for Better Test Methods
T he PCRM Legislative Fund is working hard to en-
sure that new chemical regulations protect humans
and the environment while reducing animal testing.
Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency regu-
lates industrial chemicals through a 34-year-
old statute called the Toxic Substances Control
Act (TSCA). A bill introduced in the U.S.
Senate in April, the Safe Chemicals Act of
2010, and a bill to be introduced in the House
of Representatives this summer aim to update
TSCA. However, the new bills could lead to
increased use of animals for chemical testing.
PCRM scientist Nancy Beck, Ph.D., is
pushing for provisions that would better pro-
Nancy Beck, Ph.D.
tect both humans and animals in the House
of Representatives’ stakeholder meetings, and
ONLINE > Please help ensure that this legislation becomes a launch
pad for better methods—techniques that rely on modern cell-based
tests instead of animals. Get involved: PCRMLF.org/tox.
BEST Practices
Act Gains New
Supporters
14 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010
has outlined principles necessary for replacing animal
use in written comments to the House Energy and
Commerce Committee.
“Animal-based tests have been used for decades, but
they are obviously cruel and don’t provide the most
accurate information,” says Dr. Beck. “They’re also ex-
tremely inefficient. In fact, there are so many chemicals
to test that it would take decades to test them all using
animal methods.”
The PCRM Legislative Fund is encouraging Con-
gress to fund the development of cell, tissue, and
Stirling Elmendorf
computer-based methods that can provide information
on chemicals more quickly than animal-based tests. We
are also urging Congress to require the use of available
nonanimal methods to reduce animal use and drive
innovation in test method development.
These and other PCRM Legislative Fund recom-
mendations for efficient, relevant testing will help ac-
complish the primary goal of the bills—more effective
regulation of potentially toxic chemicals.
W hen the military teaches personnel about
emergency medical procedures, it uses a highly
controversial teaching method. The courses involve
subjecting thousands of animals to stab wounds, burns,
and other injuries.
The PCRM Legislative Fund is promoting a bill that
would improve military medical training by replacing
these kinds of animal laboratories. The Battlefield Excel-
lence through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act,
H.R. 4269, would end the Department of Defense’s use
of live pigs, goats, and monkeys in combat trauma and
chemical casualty care courses.
The BEST Practices Act would require the military
to transition to ethical and educationally superior
human-based methods, including medical simulators,
which are widely used in civilian medical centers to
teach trauma management. H.R. 4269 has two new
co-sponsors—Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.,
and Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Calif.
ONLINE > Ask your representative to co-sponsor
iSTOCKPHOTO
H.R. 4269, the BEST Practices Act, to help animals
and our troops: PCRMLF.org/DOD.

Athletes, Celebrities Ask Congress for Healthier School Meals
Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix, House
Majority Whip James E. Clyburn
(D-S.C.), and NBA star John Salley
Chris Quay
T
he campaign to give students healthier choices in
the lunch line is in full swing. PCRM experts, along
with scores of celebrities, professional athletes, health
care professionals, and students, are calling on Members
of Congress to support H.R. 4870, the Healthy School
Meals Act of 2010.
Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., introduced the Healthy
School Meals Act in March. The bill aims to reverse
the epidemic of childhood obesity by helping school
food service programs offer more fruits, vegetables, and
healthful plant-based meal options and nondairy bever-
ages. The bill already has more than 60 co-sponsors in
the House of Representatives and is the second most
supported school nutrition bill in Congress.
Three gold-medal-winning Olympians—swimmer
Amanda Beard, soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo, and gym-
nast Nastia Liukin—wrote to lawmakers in early April
urging them to support this bill. They explained that
healthful food is extremely important to children’s health
and development—whether they hope to be professional
athletes or not.
The momentum continued on April 21 when nearly
1,000 concerned physicians, parents, students, and citi-
zens signed up to call their representatives on National
School Lunch Call-In Day. The evening before the call-in
day, Elizabeth Kucinich, PCRM’s director of public af-
fairs, actress Deidre Hall, and local student activist Nina
Gonzalez—who helped her school system add vegetarian
options—hosted a conference call to answer questions
about the Healthy School Meals Act.
More recently, NBA star John Salley and Olympic
Johansson, Richie/GETTY IMAGES
gold-medal-winning sprinter Allyson Felix showed
their support for the bill in the halls of Congress. At a
May 5 congressional breakfast co-hosted by PCRM, in
cooperation with the Congressional Black Caucus and
the Congressional Families for Children’s Health, Salley
and Felix participated in a roundtable discussion about
PCRM Legislative Fund
improving the nutritional quality of foods served in our
nation’s lunchrooms. 
Salley and Felix were joined by PCRM president
Neal Barnard, M.D., Kucinich, and nutrition advo-
cate Wyntergrace Williams—daughter of talk show
host Montel Williams. Members of Congress joining
the conversation included representatives  Maxine
Waters, D-Calif., Donna M. Christensen, D-Virgin
Islands, Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., Dennis Kucinich,
D-Ohio, and Polis.  The breakfast featured an ar-
ray of gourmet plant-based
ONLINE > Ask your representative
dishes catered by celebrity chef
to join the growing list of Healthy
Lauren Von Der Pool. School Meals Act supporters. Take
The Healthy School Meals action at PCRMLF.org.
Act would help schools offer Join the campaign on
students healthy, plant-based Facebook: Facebook.com/
meals, which are generally PCRMSchoolLunchRevolution.
lower in fat and saturated fat
and higher in fiber than traditional school meals. With
the percentage of overweight and obese children now at
or above 30 percent in 30 states, these healthier meals
could make a major impact on children’s health.
Hollywood Supports
Healthy School
Meals Act
L etters in support of the Healthy School Meals Scarlett Johansson
Act are stacking up on Rep. George Miller’s
desk. But a few letters may be tacked up on his
bulletin board.
Rep. Miller, D-Calif., chair of the commit-
tee that child nutrition legislation is passing
through, has received letters from Scarlett Jo- Ellen DeGeneres
hansson, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Nicole
Richie, and many other celebrities in support of
healthy school meal choices.
Media outlets across the country have cov-
ered the bill’s celebrity support. An article in the
Capitol Hill publication Roll Call began, “Celebri- Portia de Rossi
ties get a lot of mail—but Rep. George Miller
might just get the most mail from celebrities.”
In their letters, they ask Miller to help fight
childhood obesity and related chronic diseases
by including language from the Healthy School
Meals Act in updated child nutrition legislation. Nicole Richie
Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 15
The Cancer Project
The Cancer Project Update
Food for Life
Classes Now in
U.K.
I t’s official—the Food for Life program
has reached the United Kingdom!
Classes are now up and running in both
Stafford and Wolverhampton, spreading
the important message of good nutrition
for cancer prevention and survival.
Sue Brown from Valencia, Spain, at-
tended the inaugural U.K. series in March
and said, “I found the class very interest-
ing, clear, and educational. The food was
great and I was most surprised by foods
that I always believed were good for us
were actually harmful to our health. I am
looking forward to attending more classes
in the future.”  The leader behind The
Cancer Project’s U.K. expansion is Ayo
Olaseinde. We
appreciate the
support of Salad-
master in bring-
ing these classes
to fruition.
ONLINE > See the latest class
offerings: CancerProject.org/Classes.
Golf for Your Health and a Good Cause
T he first Masters in April Golf Tour-
nament, held in Dallas, encouraged
16 GOOD
GOOD MEDICINE
MEDICINE Summer
Summer 2010
2010
Another Successful Run for
The Cancer Project
K yle Hall ran in the Boston Marathon
this spring to raise money for The
iSTOCKPHOTO
Cancer Project. Kyle, an athlete whose
plant-based diet helped him recover from
a 2002 cancer diagnosis, completed the
race in record time—and his efforts raised those who could not be out running for
over $2,100 for our educational programs. various health reasons. This really helped
Here’s an excerpt of what Kyle wrote me keep up the pace … I was happy with
to us after the race: how I performed on the finishing stretch
“I had a strong, gutsy race. I thought a and with my overall time. And it was all
lot about The Cancer Project donors and vegan powered!”
Five Foods to Avoid at Mexican
Restaurants
A
report by The Cancer Project will make Mexican food enthusiasts think twice about
what they are choosing. While Mexican restaurants offer many healthful choices,
from bean burritos to veggie fajitas, there are also some items you’ll want to skip.
With more than 2,100 calories and more fat and sodium than most people should
eat in a day, the Charbroiled Steak Nachos at Baja Fresh tops a list of five foods to avoid.
Here are the five worst entrées:
Rank Worst Mexican Items Restaurant
Worst Charbroiled Steak Nachos Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
2nd worst Grilled Fajita Salad Chevys Fresh Mex
Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken
3rd worst Chili’s
Crispers
4th worst Pulled Pork Burrito Qdoba Mexican Grill
5th worst Ground Beef Burrito Moe’s Southwest Grill
by Rob Weseman of Lone Star Health
Systems Inc., raised more than $2,800
for The Cancer Project to help our efforts
in continuing to inform the public about
good nutrition through the Food for Life
program. Rob is already looking ahead to
host the same event in 2011. The Cancer
Project is so grateful for Rob’s support. His
efforts have made it possible to continue
iSTOCKPHOTO
people to golf for their health and the
health of loved ones. The event, organized
to provide people with resources they need
for cancer prevention and survival.
 The Cancer Project
The News You Need By Joseph Gonzales, R.D., and Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.

Vegetables Improve Survival from

Ovarian Cancer
W omen diagnosed with ovarian cancer are more
likely to survive if their diets include plenty of
fruits and vegetables, according to a new study in the
iSTOCKPHOTO

Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers

examined food patterns prior to ovarian cancer diag-
Meat-Based nosis in 341 Illinois women. They found that yellow
Diets Increase Bladder Cancer Risk and cruciferous vegetables, in particular, contributed to
longer survival, whereas consumption of dairy products
M eat consumption increases the risk of bladder
cancer, according to a new study presented at
the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual
and red and processed meats shortened lifespan. The
authors concluded that low-fat, plant-based diets are not
only beneficial for cancer prevention—they may also
meeting. Researchers studied the diets of 884 par- play a role in increasing survival time after diagnosis.
ticipants with bladder cancer and 878 healthy people. Ovarian cancer is the fifth
Study findings suggest that those who eat the most meat leading cause of cancer-
are up to 58 percent more likely to develop bladder related death among
cancer. Eating well-done meat was linked to an almost women in the United
twofold increased risk of bladder cancer. Cooking meat States.
at high temperatures produces carcinogens called het- Dolecek TA, McCarthy BJ, Joslin CE, et
erocyclic amines. Study participants who consumed the al. Prediagnosis food patterns are as-
sociated with length of survival from
most bacon, pork chops, fried chicken, and fried fish epithelial ovarian cancer. J Am Diet Assoc.
2010;110:369-382.
also had a higher risk.
Lin J, Wang JM, Grossman BH, et al. Red meat and heterocyclic amine intake, metabolic pathway
genes, and bladder cancer risk. Report presented at: American Association for Cancer Research
101st Annual Meeting; April 17, 2010: Washington, DC.

Vegetables, Fruits, Soy Help

Prevent Breast Cancer
S oy products, fruits, and vegetables reduce the risk
of developing breast cancer, according to a new
study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Postmenopausal women who consumed plenty of
soy products, fruits, and vegetables had a 30 percent
lower risk of developing breast cancer, compared with
those who consumed relatively little of these foods.
The research was based on about 34,000 women in
the Singapore Chinese Health Study. The longer the
women had consumed these healthful foods, the less
iSTOCKPHOTO

chance they had of developing breast cancer.

Butler LM, Wu AH, Wang R, Koh WP, Yuan JM, Yu MC. A vegetable-fruit-soy dietary pattern
protects against breast cancer among postmenopausal Singapore Chinese women. Am J Clin
Nutr. Published ahead of print February 24, 2010. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28572.

www.CancerProject.org
The Cancer Project is a nonprofit PCRM subsidiary that advances
cancer prevention and survival through nutrition education and research.

17 GOOD MEDICINE Winter 2010 Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 17

Member Support

PCRM’s Art of Compassion

Gala Celebration!
verance and also highlight the challenges cuisine created by Tal Ronnen, cheered
in research and health that still need to be on performers and award winners, and
tackled to save human and animal lives. danced the night away at the after party.

P CRM’s gala event on April 10 in

Hollywood marked an important
milestone—25 years of advancing com-
passion in medicine and science. Guests
came from near and far to be a part of
The weekend of activities began on
Friday night with a reception, followed
on Saturday by a daylong, standing-
room-only nutrition conference presented
by leading scientific experts, and culmi-
During the program, we premiered
our new video PCRM: Opening the Doors
to Compassion. To watch this compelling
short film, please visit PCRM.org/about/
opening_doors_to_compasssion.html.

iSTOCKPHOTO
this special occasion, which allowed us nated on Sunday with a president’s circle At PCRM.org/Gala2010, view a five-
to shine the spotlight on what we have brunch. During Saturday night’s main minute highlight video of the event and
accomplished with hard work and perse- event, guests dined on heavenly vegan an album of spectacular gala photos.

Sublime owner Steering Committee chair James John Salley and Maggie Q Event chairs Kathy and Tom PCRM president Neal
Nanci Alexander Costa with singer Leona Lewis take the stage to kick off Freston Barnard, M.D.
the program

DAVID MICHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Event host Cindy Landon with son Sean and Auction chair Committee member Committee member Congressman Dennis Kucinich
daughter Jennifer Bobi Leonard Rod Summers Lorrie Attalla and wife PCRM director of
public and government affairs
Elizabeth Kucinich

Gala
Sponsors

18
18 GOOD
GOOD MEDICINE
MEDICINE Summer
Summer 2010
2010
 Member Support

The Voice of
Compassion Award
PCRM’s newest award honors
those who, by word and
example, have communicated
caring, compassion, and the
highest ethical principles.
The 2010 honorees are Ellen
DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi,
Marilu Henner, and
Alicia Silverstone.
Neal Barnard, M.D., presents Ellen with the Voice of Marilu Henner takes the stage to accept
Compassion Award her award

The Benjamin Spock

Award for Compassion
in Medicine
Baxter D. Montgomery, M.D., F.A.C.C.,
Houston Cardiac Association and
HCA Wellness Center

Dr. Montgomery on the red carpet

Art of Compassion Award

Robert L. “Skip” Trimble

Skip Trimble addresses gala guests

The Henry Heimlich Award

for Innovative Medicine
Gilman Veith, Ph.D.,
International QSAR Foundation

Dr. Veith receives the award from Henry Heimlich, M.D.

DAVID MICHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY

ONLINE > To learn more about the 2010

awardees and their accomplishments,
please visit PCRM.org/Gala2010.

Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE 19

PCRM Marketplace
PCRM Marketplace
Research Issues
What Will We Do If We Don’t
Experiment on Animals?
Medical Research for the 21st Century
C. Ray Greek, M.D., and Jean Swingle Greek, D.V.M.
The Greeks answer the title’s question with a tour of truly
modern medical research. With advances in the study
of human genetics and the ability to measure human
responses to drugs at the molecular level, researchers will
find it increasingly difficult to justify the crude data accu-
mulated from animal experimentation. 262 pgs, $24.99
Second Nature
The Inner Lives of Animals
Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D.
Do baboons have a keen sense of right
and wrong? Do chickens find certain
human faces attractive in the same
way people do? Balcombe paints a new
picture of the inner lives of animals
that diverges from the struggle-or-perish image often
presented in the popular media. He challenges traditional
views of animals and spells out why the human-animal
relationship needs a complete overhaul. 256 pgs, $27.00
Health and Nutrition
NEW EDITION FROM PCRM
Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, second edition
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
This comprehensive medical refer-
ence manual covers nearly 100
diseases and conditions, including
risk factors, diagnoses, and typical
treatments. Most importantly, it
provides the latest evidence-based
information on nutrition’s role in prevention and
treatment. Includes an in-depth examination of
general nutrition, macronutrients, micronutrients,
and nutritional requirements for all stages of life.
745 pgs, $19.95 Special Discount $17.95
Quantum Wellness
A Practical and Spiritual Guide
to Health and Happiness
Kathy Freston
Learn how to make the small steps that
can significantly improve the health of
mind, body, and spirit. In addition to
promoting wholeness in work and relationships, Freston
explains the advantages of a plant-based diet from health,
ethical, and environmental perspectives. Includes 45 veg-
etarian recipes, two weeks of meal plans, and a general
shopping list. 288 pgs, $14.95
20 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010
The Best in the World
Fast, Healthful Recipes
from Exclusive and Out-of-
the-Way Restaurants
Neal D. Barnard, M.D., Editor
This popular collection of wonder-
fully healthy recipes comes from
the world’s best and most unusual
restaurants. Enjoy these vegan
delicacies at home. Hardcover, 71 pgs, $11.95
The Best in the World II
Healthful Recipes from Exclusive
and Out-of-the-Way Restaurants
Jennifer L. Keller, R.D., Editor
Travel around the world to discover
treasures from side-street cafes
and elegant hotel dining rooms.
Attractively illustrated, this delight-
ful vegan cookbook is the sequel
to PCRM’s original international recipe collection.
Hardcover, 71 pgs, $11.95
The Best in the World III NEW!
Healthful Recipes from Exclusive
and Out-of-the-Way Restaurants
Neal Barnard, M.D., Editor
Discover delicious and unique
recipes from restaurants across
the globe. Join monks in a temple
courtyard in the Far East, passen-
gers on a French luxury yacht, or
even a rock star in Akron, Ohio, for an unforgettable
culinary adventure. Often exotic and always flavorful,
these plant-based recipes are designed to be within
the abilities of any amateur chef. Hardcover, 71 pgs,
$11.95
Macro for the Mainstream DVD
Sheri DeMaris
TV host Sheri DeMaris believes “your kitchen is your
medicine cabinet.” In this exciting DVD, she prepares
easy-to-follow macrobiotic recipes using whole, organic
foods and offers simple suggestions for improving one’s
health and the health of our planet. $24.95
Speed Vegan
Quick, Easy Recipes with a Gourmet Twist
Alan Roettinger
Chef Roettinger’s fun and creative cooking style results in
meals that stand out from the ordinary. Includes recom-
mendations for basic kitchen staples and ways to save
money on essential kitchen equipment. All dishes can be
completed in 30 minutes or less. 192 pgs, $19.95
Thrive Fitness NEW!
The Vegan-Based Training Program for Maximum
Strength, Health, and Fitness
Brendan Brazier
Professional Ironman triathlete Brendan
Brazier presents his own easy-to-apply
system of total health and fitness.
Learn how to get maximum results in
minimum time, sharpen mental clarity,
increase energy, and prevent injuries. Includes 6-week
workout plan and list of 15 top foods to fuel workouts, as
well as 30 vegan recipes. 272 pgs, $15.95
Skinny Bitch
A No-Nonsense, Tough Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who
Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous!
Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
This bestselling vegan guide pulls no punches. Entertain-
ing and sassy, the book rests on a solid health and nutrition
foundation. “Many priceless-yet-unprintable dictums
certainly make you laugh in a way few diet books can.”
–iVillage 224 pgs, $13.95
Skinny Bitch in the Kitch
Kick-Ass Recipes for Hungry Girls Who Want to
Stop Cooking Crap (and Start Looking Hot!)
Here’s the companion cookbook to the outrageous
bestseller Skinny Bitch. 75 easy, satisfying recipes, served
up with an irreverent sense of fun. “A hilariously bawdy
vegan cookbook for the modern Mrs. Cleaver.” –Domino
192 pgs, $14.95
How to Eat Like a Vegetarian Even If You
Never Want to Be One
Carol J. Adams and Patti Breitman
Out of time and out of ideas? Cook
fast, cook healthy with more than 250
shortcuts, strategies, and simple solu-
tions. More than a cookbook—though it abounds with
recipes—this guide will get you started on a healthier
path with a few flips of the page. 214 pgs, $20.00
The Spectrum NEW!
A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer,
Lose Weight, and Gain Health
Dean Ornish, M.D.
Whether you want to lose weight, lower
your cholesterol, reverse a major disease,
or find a sustainable, joyful way of life,
this book can make a powerful difference.
Dr. Ornish’s latest research shows how
changing your lifestyle changes your genes, turning on
disease-preventing genes while turning off disease-
promoting genes—even affecting parts of chromosomes
that control lifespan. Includes 100 recipes. 416 pgs, $17.00
 From Neal D. Barnard, M.D., PCRM president PCRM Marketplace
NEW!
The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook
125 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Jump-Start Weight Loss and Help You Feel Great The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook
These recipes are based on Dr. Neal Barnard’s landmark two-year study, which shows South Florida’s Ultimate Destination for Vegan Cuisine
that a vegan diet effectively controls type 2 diabetes. In fact, it’s also beneficial for Nanci Alexander
weight loss, the reversal of heart disease, and the improvement of many other condi- The flavors and beauty of south
tions.Dr. Barnard and nutritionist Robyn Webb offer easy, delicious meals to improve Florida’s award-winning Sublime
your health. 248 pgs, $18.95 Restaurant are compiled here with
some of Sublime’s most famed culi-
A New Approach to Nutrition for Diabetes DVD Breaking the Food Seduction nary creations. From Asian, Latin, or
Neal D. Barnard, M.D. We all have foods we can’t resist, Mediterranean influences to more typical American fare,
Turn back the clock on diabetes through a low-fat vegan foods that sabotage our health. each recipe is delightfully conceived, beautifully presented,
diet. In eight compelling lessons, Dr. Barnard explains But banishing those cravings for and yet surprisingly quick to prepare. 117 pgs, $19.95
his groundbreaking research, funded by the National chocolate, cookies, cheese, or burg-
Institutes of Health, and how to put it to work in your life. ers isn’t a question of willpower, it’s
a matter of biochemistry. Drawing
From The Cancer Project
Includes cooking demonstrations by chef Toni Fiore and
a grocery store tour by Susan Levin, R.D., and Caroline on his own research and that of The Nutrition Rainbow Poster
Trapp, M.S.N., C.D.E. 192 mins, $19.95 other leading institutions, Dr. Barnard reveals how The more naturally colorful your meal is, the more
diet and lifestyle changes can break the craving cycle. likely it is to have an abundance of cancer-fighting
Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program
324 pgs, $16.99 nutrients. Pigments that give
for Reversing Diabetes
fruits and vegetables their
I f you have diabetes or are Turn Off the Fat Genes bright colors represent a variety
concerned about developing it, Genes, including those that shape our bodies, actu- of protective compounds. The
this program could change the ally adapt to outside influences. Dr. Barnard explains Nutrition Rainbow poster shows
course of your life. Dr. Barnard’s the process and provides a three-week gene-control the cancer-fighting and immune-
groundbreaking clinical studies, program complete with menus and recipes by Jen- boosting power of different-hued
the latest funded by the National nifer Raymond. Here are powerful tools for achieving foods. 17”x22”,$6.00
Institutes of Health, show that diabetes responds long-term weight loss and better health. Paperback,
dramatically to a low-fat, vegetarian diet. Rather than Prescription for Life Poster
350 pgs, $14.95
just compensating for malfunctioning insulin like other This whimsical work of art
treatment plans, Dr.Barnard’s program helps repair how A Physician’s Slimming Guide for introduces your patients to the
the body uses insulin. Includes 50 delicious recipes. Permanent Weight Control importance of fruits, vegetables,
288 pgs, $15.95 You can succeed in becoming and staying slimmer! This whole grains, and beans in
book is not a diet—it’s a comprehensive program that cancer prevention and survival.
Foods That Fight Pain It also tells how to obtain free
takes the reader beyond artificial“formula approaches.”
Did you know that ginger can information about nutrition,
96 pgs, $7.95
prevent migraines and that coffee recipes, and classes from The Cancer Project. 17”x22”,
sometimes cures them? Drawing Food for Life
$6.00
on new research, Dr.Barnard shows The breakthrough book on aging, heart disease, cancer,
readers how to soothe everyday weight control, and general health. Preface by Dean New Versions
The Cancer Survivor’s Guide
ailments and cure chronic pain Ornish, M.D. Loads of tips on changing your diet, 21 days Neal Barnard, M.D., Jennifer Reilly, R.D.
with common foods. 348 pgs, of menus, plus delicious recipes by Jennifer Raymond. Find out how foods fight cancer and the advantages
$14.95 334 pgs, $14.95 of a high-fiber, low-fat, dairy- and
meat-free diet. Includes updates
from the latest research, special
The Love-Powered Diet Building Bone Vitality prostate and breast cancer sec-
Eating for Freedom, Health, and Joy A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent tions, tips for making the dietary
Victoria Moran Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis transition, and more than 130
Drawing on her personal experience, Amy Lanou Ph.D., Michael Castleman recipes. 245 pgs, $19.95
Moran applies Twelve Step principles Bone vitality doesn’t come through dairy
to find freedom from compulsive eat- products, calcium pill, or drugs. Using the Eating Right for Cancer Survival dvd
ing and yo-yo dieting. She proposes a peaceful, natural latest clinical studies, Dr. Lanou explores Neal Barnard, M.D., Chef Sualua
way of eating that keeps weight off without dieting. the calcium myth and explains why a low-acid diet is the Tupolo, Stephanie Beine, R.D.
241 pgs, $20.00 only effective way to prevent bone loss. 256 pgs, $16.95 This exciting 2-disc set is designed to
work hand in hand with the companion
The Kind Diet book, The Cancer Survivor’s Guide. Nine
Alicia Silverstone, Introduction by Neal Barnard, M.D. nutrition presentations and nine cook-
Deliciously empowering, The Kind Diet opens the door to effortless weight loss, high energy, clear skin, and smooth ing lessons provide powerful tools for making changes
digestion, all while protecting the planet. Three separate dietary tracks—from Flirting to Superhero—help readers in health and well-being. 270 mins, $19.95
make the vegan transition at their own pace. Discover food that satisfies at every level. Hardcover, 320 pgs, $29.99

Summer 2010 GOOD

Summer 2010 GOOD MEDICINE
MEDICINE 21
 PCRM Marketplace

Many PCRM fact sheets

and booklets, including our
popular Vegetarian Starter Kit,
are available without charge
at PCRM.org/Resources

Packed with Plant Power Lunch Tote Bag

Share your enthusiasm for a vegan diet with this National Conference on Childhood Obesity DVD
insulated 8.5x6x6-inch lunch bag with zippered top, Hear 13 top researchers speak out on the roles of nutrition
front pocket, and 32-inch shoulder strap, $9.95 and public policy in combating the epidemic. Recorded at
the 2009 conference. 2 disks. 4 hrs, 20 mins. $19.95
Show your support for humane research with
Humane Charity Seal of Approval Items
Cat Magnetic Bumper Sticker $2.00
Power Plate Poster
“These healthful food groups help you live
longer, stay slimmer, and cut your risk of
heart disease, diabetes, and high blood
pressure.“ 18"x 24", $6.00 Monkey Refrigerator Magnet 2"x3½". $1.00

Rabbit Refrigerator Magnet 2"x3½". $1.00

Go Vegan
Multilingual Apron
Veg-friendly phrases in ten languages. 21"x
28" gourmet apron with pocket. Cream on
forest green. $13.95 Dog Magnetic Bumper Sticker $2.00

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22 GOOD MEDICINE Winter

Summer 2010
2006

More Than He Could Chew
When Chad Ettmueller of
Cumming, Ga., tried to eat a
double-meat, double-cheese
sandwich, loaded with five
types of meat and three
types of cheese, he ended
up in the hospital with a
dislocated jaw. Doctors were
able to surgically treat him 14
hours later.
It’s All in the Delivery
Looking for a good vegan
meal and don’t want to go
out? VeggieBrothers.com
ships more than 100 vegan
items—soups, appetiz-
ers, main dishes, desserts—
anywhere in the United
States and Canada. 
University Violations
The U.S. Department of Agri-
culture reported nine animal
welfare violations after an
inspection of the laboratories
at the University of Utah.
Violations included animals
not receiving antibiotics or
pain medications in a timely
manner, a too-crowded
guinea pig enclosure, and
the death of a kitten who
had been given too much
dextrose. Punishments for
animal welfare violations are
notoriously light. In this case,
the university received only
warnings.
PCRM Illustrations/doug Hall
Just the Facts
Go Green, Save Green
Chimpanzee Behavior Air India employees in Delhi
Chimpanzees grieve over death very much as humans do, have offered to go vegetarian
according to new research papers published in the journal as part of the airline’s cost-
Current Biology. Researchers observed chimpanzees groom- cutting measures. The 700 to
ing and attending to a dying elderly female chimpanzee and 1,100 employees served daily
remaining subdued for weeks after her death and mothers will skip the chicken that had
refusing to accept the death of their babies and holding the been offered in the company
infants’ bodies for weeks, among other behaviors. café three times a week.  
An Apple Cider a Day
A Healthy Holiday
The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 230 to
The San Francisco
74 to make apple cider—rather than milk—the official state
Board of Supervi-
beverage. The initiative was introduced at the urging of a
sors unanimously
fourth-grade class.
approved a reso-
lution encour-
aging residents to observe
meat-free Mondays. Citing
the health and environmen-
tal benefits of vegetarian
meals, the resolution urges
restaurants, schools, and
grocery stores to add more
vegetarian options.
Experiments Suspended for Lufthansa Bars Animal
Mistreatment of Animals Shipments
The University of Wisconsin- Lufthansa Airlines will no
Madison has suspended longer transport dogs and
Michele Basso, who studied cats destined for labora-
Parkinson’s disease and other tories. Customers were
brain disorders, from work- outraged after seeing
ing with animals for what photos of distressed beagles
officials call a clear pattern of being shipped to a Charles
problems with animal wel- River Laboratories facility in
fare. Problems cited included Scotland, where they were
instances in which monkeys likely poisoned in drug and
suffered fatal brain injuries. pesticide tests.
Summer GOOD MEDICINE
2010 GOOD
Winter 2006 MEDICINE 23
PCRM Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20016
Physician Profile
A Star Pediatrician
Jay Gordon, M.D.
P ediatrician Jay Gordon, M.D., lets
his patients and their families know
about the importance of good nutrition
the moment they walk into his waiting
room. Fresh fruits and vegetables are
delivered to the office twice a week from
a co-op. Fast food is strictly prohibited.
In the middle of his residency, Dr.
Gordon realized that he needed greater
knowledge about infant and child nutri-
tion to be able to help patients eat right
to prevent disease. He took a senior fel-
lowship in pediatric nutrition at Sloan-
Kettering Institute in New York City.
Dr. Gordon now lives in the Los
Angeles area, and many of his patients
are children of Hollywood actors and
actresses. Most days, he is up by 5 a.m.,
and starts seeing patients—often through
home visits—well before 8 a.m.
He also talks to parents about how they
can improve the state of child nutrition.
Part of the answer, he says, is “a complete
revision of what’s in school lunch lines.”
Dr. Gordon joined PCRM experts for a
briefing on the Healthy School Meals Act
With postage, printing, and handling expenses, each returned copy of Good Medicine costs PCRM more
Please keep than $2. Over the year, this adds up to thousands of lost dollars. If your address has changed, please
in touch. let us know promptly.
addresschanges@pcrm.org or 202-686-2210, ext. 304
24 GOOD MEDICINE Summer 2010
in March, and visited Members of Con-
gress to urge them to co-sponsor the bill.
In April, he appeared on Good Morning
America to speak about the importance of
plant-based school lunch options.
Dr. Gordon also talks to parents about
their own diets. He believes that for chil-
dren to learn good eating habits, the whole
family should follow a healthful diet.
“If a father is 50 pounds overweight
and saying he loves bacon, it sends the
wrong message,” he says. “I talk with
parents and help them change the way
they eat.”
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Bolingbrook, IL
Permit #491
When talking with his young patients
about nutrition, Dr. Gordon tries to focus
on issues kids are interested in.
“I talk to my 5-, 10-, 15-year-olds
about red meat and cheese and ask them
to think about what would be better for
their Saturday afternoon soccer games,”
he says. “I say, ‘If you eat more fruits and
vegetables, you can run faster.’”
“The way I handle my practice comes
from a very personal issue,” he says. “I
grew up in Wisconsin. My father had his
first heart attack in his 30s. He then had
surgery and was on many medications,
and he could barely walk.”
He says his father then tried a vegan
diet and was able to get off all his medica-
tions. He lost 30 pounds and could walk
two miles.
“My father eventually backtracked and
got back on the Wisconsin fast-food diet,”
says Dr. Gordon. “He died at age 59.”
Dr. Gordon is 62 years old and in great
shape. He exercises for two hours every
day and has followed a vegetarian diet for
35 years.
“I’m battling my own genetic issues,
and my weapons are soccer, tofu, and
spinach—lots of spinach,” he says with a
laugh.
printed on recycled paper