The FDA will make the decision regarding the petition later this year. If passed, the manufacturer could label their soy products as cancer fighters to influence consumers buying decisions. Many experts say Solae was "highly selective" in choosing the evidence they submitted to the FDA, emphasizing favorable outcomes when results were inconclusive and leaving out studies that suggest soy protein can contribute to, and even cause and accelerate, cancer.

Solae would make a lot of money off of the cancer health claim. As Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, points out:

"Since the FDA authorized the Soy Protein and Coronary Heart Disease Health Claim, per capita consumption of soy protein increased from 0.78 g/day in 1998 to 2.23 g/day in 2002. Solae predicts that consumption of soy protein will double with a cancer health claim. Solae stands to reap tremendous financial gain at the expense of the public."

Even FDA scientists have warned of the cancer-causing effects of soy and the dangers of consuming too many soy foods. And according to the British Committee on Toxicity (COT), who reviewed much of Solae's evidence, the results were "inconsistent and contradictory." They point out that soy foods have been linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer and have caused changes to the brain.

Other misleading claims mentioned by the Weston A. Price Foundation include:

• Solae claims that soy protein prevents gastrointestinal cancer, yet this is contradicted by numerous studies, Solae left out key studies that link the soy lectin--a component of soy protein--to precancerous conditions in the small intestines

• Solae states that "the totality" of the evidence supports a soy protein/cancer claim, a conclusion that was reached via meta-analyses. Meta-analyses is easily manipulated by leaving out studies that contradict the desired conclusion, and

• Solae left out many of these studies

• Solae minimized a large-scale study linking soy protein to bladder cancer

• Solae omitted evidence linking soy protein to thyroid and pancreatic cancers and to childhood leukemia. Solae failed to address soy protein's well-documented risks to the digestive, immune and neuroendocrine systems of the body
  

Weston A. Price Foundation June 23, 2004 (PDF)

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Of course, Solae would make a lot of money off of the cancer health claim, which may explain their "selective" reporting. I encourage you to read the entire press release above to get the details on this issue, and then read through my soy index page to learn the many reasons why soy can damage your health. Unfortunately, as is alluded to in the article above, one of the biggest problems with the widespread acceptance of soy is the billions of advertising dollars of influence in the edible oil industry, which is involved with heavily promoting soy's use in the natural medical circles, so its use can be then promoted in the general medical public. They have even been able to fool otherwise knowledgeable natural medicine doctors. These actions by the Weston A. Price Foundation are huge in addressing the growing epidemic of people suffering from reactions from eating soy products. I have a lot of faith in the Weston A. Price foundation and in their lobbying efforts to warn consumers against the dangers of modern soy food along with their goal to get soy formula taken off the shelves in the marketplace. Related Articles: If You're Suffering From a Medical Problem Caused by Soy, you May Now be Able to Take Legal Action! How Safe is Soy Infant Formula? Soy Baby Formula Linked to Behavioral Problems Soy Weakens Your Immune System Response To Those Who Believe Soy Is Healthy Soy: Too Good to be True