Physicians Organization Sues Dairy Trade Groups Over Dietary Claims
Lawsuit by group that has long fought the dairy industry says recent weight-loss claims are false.
Compiled by staff
Published: Jun 29, 2005
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has filed two major lawsuits to stop a major advertising campaign claiming milk facilitates weight loss. The group - which has long been a supporter of vegan and vegetarian diets - charges the three main dairy industry trade groups and international food companies are "misleading consumers with deceptive advertising that makes scientifically unsubstantiated claims about the effect of dairy products on weight loss."
PCRM filed the lawsuit on behalf of Catherine Holmes, a Virginia resident, who says she relied on these dairy industry claims and actually gained weight while following the recommendations in a series of ads. The suits - one for money damages, the other a class action suit - were filed in Alexandria Circuit Court in Virginia.
Defendants in the suits include International Dairy Foods Association, National Dairy Council and Dairy Management Inc., from the trade side; and Kraft Foods, General Mills and Dannon makers of dairy products.
PCRM claims the dairy industry's campaign was based on two small-scale studies using "questionable methodology" led by Michael Zemel, which the group calls an "industry-funded researcher" at the University of Tennessee. PCRM notes that since 1998, Zemel has accepted nearly $1.7 million in research grants from the National Dairy Council, and $275,000 from General Mills. Zemel also patented the weight loss program and licensed it to IDFA. According to PCRM, advertisers pay Zemel for use of his "calcium key" weight-loss program and the fees run in excess of $50,000 per year.
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