Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/26/83; site ihldt.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!whuxlb!pyuxll!eisx!npoiv!npois!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ihldt!jhh From: jhh@ihldt.UUCP Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: Aspartame might cause brain damage - text of article Message-ID: <1767@ihldt.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Jul-83 16:28:16 EDT Article-I.D.: ihldt.1767 Posted: Thu Jul 7 16:28:16 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Jul-83 05:46:12 EDT References: <18437@wivax.UUCP>, <100@cbosgd.UUCP> Organization: BTL Naperville, Il. Lines: 20 Apparently, the FDA was ready to approve aspartame, and Dr. Wurtman told the FDA that he would have more conclusive evidence shortly. This was in June, and did cause the FDA to withhold approval. It also caused the president of Searle, along with a few other hot shots to visit and pressure Searle. Searle has very few drug patents on products, and is in danger of generic drugs taking their sales. Dr. Wurtman originally told the FDA some preliminary results in May, but they did not find them conclusive. He sent them a telegram the night before the original approval date, and they did postpone the approval of Soft Drink usage. The early results were that aspartame could penetrate the blood/brain barrier, something that Searle apparently thought would not happen. The above statements were given from my recollection of an article in the Chicago Tribune Business Section. John Haller