PCRM to Hold

WHAT: The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) will hold a news briefing right across the hall from "Calcium Summit II," a dairy industry promotional event scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 17. Topics to be covered:

• PCRM nutrition experts will show that milk does not reliably improve bone health, and that other factors, especially exercise and diets rich in vegetables and fruits, are essential for strong bones.
• PCRM will unveil its new children's bone health campaign.
• PCRM will share FOIA-obtained documents revealing that Calcium Summit II was orchestrated by the National Dairy Council's advertising agency, BSMG Worldwide. "Calcium Summit II is essentially an industry promotion disguised as a health conference," says PCRM president Neal Barnard, M.D. "The truth is, milk has serious adverse effects and we're better off without it."

BACKGROUND: The dairy industry—in hopes of increasing sales—is conducting a massive misinformation campaign to persuade the public to drink more milk. Many nutrition experts, PCRM's among them, believe that while calcium is an essential part of the diet, there is no "calcium crisis" in the United States. The real threats to bone health are lack of exercise, lack of sunlight, and too much salt and animal protein in the diet.

WHEN: 10:15 a.m. (or immediately following Session 1 of Calcium Summit II), Thursday 17 January 2002.

WHERE: International Trade Center/Ronald Reagan Building, Meridian C, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

SPEAKERS: Neal Barnard, M.D., PCRM president, nutrition researcher, and author of seven books on health, including Eat Right, Live Longer, and Amy J. Lanou, Ph.D., PCRM nutrition director, author of Healthy Eating for Life for Children (John Wiley & Sons, February 2002).

WHO: Credentialed media only.

VISUALS:

• Artwork from PCRM's new "Strong Bones" consumer education campaign.
• Broadcast-quality B-roll of dairy-free calcium alternatives.

INTERVIEWS: PCRM nutrition experts will be available for interviews throughout the day.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research,and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.