U. S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
FDA Prime Connection

FDA Advisory Committee on BST Labeling
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     FDA ADVISORY COMMITTEES DISCUSS BST LABELING ISSUES
 
     FDA's Food Advisory Committee and Veterinary Medicine Advisory
Committee met May 6-7.  The committees of outside experts discussed
whether foods derived from cows given supplemental bovine
somatotropin (BST) should be labeled as such.  They were also asked
to explore such issues as what the basis for such labeling would
be, what type of labeling might be used and whether it would be
practical to enforce a labeling requirement.
 
     BST is a new animal drug produced through biotechnology and
intended to increase milk production in dairy cows.  It is
currently under review by FDA, and the agency has authorized its
testing on more than 20,000 cows in the United States over a 12
year period.  As reflected in an August 1990 article published in
Science, and consistent with conclusions of a National Institutes
of Health panel and other reports,  FDA's Center for Veterinary
Medicine has concluded that milk from dairy cows receiving
supplemental BST is safe for human consumption.
 
     In his charge to the committee, Commissioner David A.
Kessler, M.D., said:  "It is essential for people to understand
exactly how government oversees new technologies, and to have
confidence in that process.  We will be trying to make sure that
happens, by providing the public an opportunity to participate in
[this] important policy discussion."
 
     Dr. Kessler asked members to consider the following
questions:
 
     1.  Is it important to consumers to know whether food is
derived from BST supplemented cows?
 
     2.  Why do consumers want to know?
 
     3.  Are there any consequences that may result from
consumption of food from BST supplemented cows?
 
     4.  Does BST supplementation alter milk, dairy products or
meat in any way?
 
     5.  Would there be any implications for food labeling
requirements generally if foods derived from BST supplemented
cows had to be labeled?
 
     6.  Are there sound public policy reasons for requiring or
encouraging disclosure?
 
     7.  Would it make sense to permit foods derived from cows
that were not supplemented with BST to be labeled as such?
 
     8.  Would it be practical for FDA to enforce a requirement
that food derived from BST supplemented cows be labeled?
 
     The joint committee heard from more than 50 witnesses,
representing diverse scientific, academic, agricultural, consumer
and industry groups.  After extensive committee discussion the
chair, Edward N. Brandt, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., stated:
 
          "The committee's deliberations indicate that any
     method for instituting labeling for food from BST-
     supplemented cows would have to resolve many difficult
     scientific and policy questions.  We hope that the
     comprehensive discussion of all these issues will assist
     the agency in its decision making process."
 
     FDA will carefully consider the issues raised by the
joint committee in making the agency's determination about the
labeling issue.