The story and of Aspartame's original approval

[Guest guest]

Donald Rumsfeld was president of Serle corporation (the original

maker of aspartame) in 1977, then part of Reagan's transition team,

and it seems apparent that he got aspartame 'legalized' by appointing

a defense department contractor as head of the FDA and was later

richly rewarded for his efforts.

 

In January 1981 Rumsfeld told a sales meeting, according to one

attendee, that he would call in his chips and get aspartame approved

by the end of the year. On January 25th, the day the new president

took office, the previous FDA commissioner's authority was suspended,

and the next month, the commissioner's job went to Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes.

 

Transition records do not show why the administration chose Hayes,

a professor and Defense Department contract researcher as head of the

FDA. In July Hayes, defying FDA advisors, approved aspartame for dry

foods -- his first major decision. In November 1983 the FDA approved

aspartame for soft drinks -- Hayes' last decision.

 

In November 1983 Hayes, under fire for accepting corporate gifts,

left the agency and went to Searle's public-relations firm as senior

medical advisor. Later Searle lawyer Robert Shapiro named aspartame

NutraSweet. Monsanto then purchased Searle and Rumsfeld received a

whopping $12 million bonus. Shapiro is now Monsanto president.

 

From 1985 to 1995, researchers did about 400 aspartame studies.

They were divided almost evenly between those that gave assurances and

those that raised questions about the sweetener. Most instructively,

Searle paid for 100% of those finding no problem.

 

All studies paid for by non-industry sources raised questions.