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The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is a U.S.-based non-profit group. It is self described as "doctors and laypersons working together for compassionate and effective medical practice, research, and health promotion". ^[1] It was established in 1985 by Dr. Neal Barnard as an advocacy organization for preventive medicine, nutrition and ethics in research. ^[2]

Contents 1 Overview 2 Nutrition and diet 2.1 Clinical research on nutrition 3 Research ethics & advocacy 4 Challenging industry and diet claims 4.1 National Dairy Council retracts claims after lawsuit 4.2 Atkins diet 5 Other groups 6 Anti-PCRM disinformation campaigns 7 Board of Directors 7.1 Advisory Board 8 Contact 9 Articles & sources 9.1 Sourcewatch articles 9.2 References 9.3 External articles

Overview

According to PCRM, it's membership includes 5,000 physicians ^[3] as well as other health care professionals, veterinarians and lay persons who support ethical research, laboratory animal advocacy and nutrition based health and preventive medicine.

PCRM is not a professional society with credentials requirements, but an open membership charity. Memberships are $20.00 and include a subscription to Good Medicine magazine. ^[4] Board members include Dr. Henry J. Heimlich, originator of the Heimlich Maneuver and noted nutritional research and author, T. Colin Campbell, PhD. Dr. Campbell is co-author of The China Study, widely considered to be the most comprehensive study on nutrition and disease in history. ^[5]

Nutrition and diet

PCRM promotes federal reform on nutrition policies and clinical research on diabetes, cancer and other conditions. It also provides public service announcements on health, cancer and prevention issues. ^[1] In particular, PCRM works to educate the public about scientific research demonstrating the health benefits of low fat, vegetarian diets. They reference a large body of scientific research linking meat and dairy consumption to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. ^[6], ^[7] and cancer. ^[8], ^[9] See also Meat & Dairy industry, section 6.

Clinical research on nutrition

PCRM conducts studies on the role of nutrition in relation to health issues such as diabetes, obesity and lipid management. Dr. Barnard's most recent clinical trial for a novel dietary program for treating type 2 diabetes was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The program set a new standard for dietary approaches for this increasingly common condition. ^[10]

Research ethics & advocacy

PCRM promotes alternatives to animal testing. They have advocated to end gruesome experiments like Department of Defense (DOD) cat shooting studies, DEA narcotics experiments and monkey self-mutilation projects. They also promote non-animal methods in medical education. Currently, more than three-quarters of all U.S. medical schools have discontinued animal testing for medical students. PCRM advocates for higher standards of ethics and efficacy in research and also opposes unethical research involving humans. According to PCRM, while progress has been made in eliminating unethical research, many problems remain. For example, children are still given synthetic growth hormones in experiments to make them grow taller. Both adults and children are exposed to unnecessary new drugs which have toxic effects. ^[11] See also animal testing, sections 1 & 3.

Challenging industry and diet claims

National Dairy Council retracts claims after lawsuit

In early 2007, after a lawsuit by PCRM, the National Dairy Council (NDC) retracted its claims of weight loss attributed to dairy consumption. ^[12], ^[13]

Atkins diet

In March of 2005, lawyers for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. admitted in court that they were willing to "assume the diet was dangerous". This marked the first public admission of any kind regarding Atkins diet related health risks. According Dan Kinburn, lead attorney in the lawsuit against Atkins; the complete medical records of the late Dr. Robert Atkins were requested. Records from the New York medical examiner reveal that Atkins was overweight, tipping the scales at nearly 260 pounds and may have had cardiovascular disease. A year before his death, Dr. Atkins suffered a cardiac arrest, although he and his private physician issued statements denying that the episode was a result of arterial blockage. Dr. Atkins died in a fall outside his New York offices in April of 2003. ^[14]

Other groups

PCRM has partnered with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on many issues, including a campaign to reduce animal use in toxicity testing. ^[15] See also animal testing, section 3 on product (toxicity) testing.

Anti-PCRM disinformation campaigns

Anti-PCRM propaganda and disinformation campaigns are generated by industry front groups such as the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF). Such organizations have clients who have been subjects of campaigns and investigations for animal cruelty and welfare violations. They also perceive the general direction of their advocacy as a threat to commercial interests. See also A visit to the ActivistCash.com web site & Richard Berman cares about animals: clients exposed.

The Americans for Medical Progress (AMP) is also an industry-funded organization whose clients have been subjects of various investigations and campaigns. See also Americans for Medical Progress.

See also Humane Movement.

Board of Directors

• Neal Barnard, President and founder. Associate Professor, George Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Barnard also initiated the The Cancer Project, a nonprofit focusing on prevention, public education and nutrition and the Washington Center for Clinical Research, for diet and health studies. He is editor-in-chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians and the author of over a dozen books. His articles have appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the American Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Scientific American, the American Journal of Cardiology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Lancet Oncology, Preventive Medicine and many other scientific and medical journals. Dr. Barnard grew up on a cattle ranch in Fargo, ND. ^[16]

• President; Mark Sklar, M.D., Director
• Russell Bunai, M.D., Secretary Treasurer

Advisory Board

• T. Colin Campbell - Ph.D. Cornell University. Dr. Campbell is author of The China Study. This study culminated a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. The survey of diseases and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan is widely thought to be the most comprehensive study on nutrition and related diseases to date. ^[17]

• Henry J. Heimlich, M.D., Sc.D., The Heimlich Institute. Originator of the lifesaving Heimlich Maneuver. The technique has also been shown effective in saving drowning victims, asthma sufferers and cystic fibrosis patients. Dr. Heimlich also works to promote peaceful solutions to international problems through the A Caring World program. ^[18]

• Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. The Cleveland Clinic
• Suzanne Havala Hobbs, PhD, M.S., R.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Lawrence Kushi, Sc.D., Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente
• Virginia Messina, M.P.H., R.D. Nutrition Matters, Inc.
• John McDougall, M.D., McDougall Program, St. Helena Hospital
• Milton Mills, M.D., Gilead Medical Group
• Myriam Parham, R.D., L.D., C.D.E. East Pasco Medical Center
• William Roberts, M.D., Baylor Cardiovascular Institute
• Andrew Weil, M.D., University of Arizona

Contact

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20016

Phone: 202-686-2210
Fax: 202-686-2216

Web address: http://www.pcrm.org/

Articles & sources

Sourcewatch articles

• Animal testing
• Humane Movement
• Meat & Dairy industry
• National Dairy Council
• Neal Barnard
• Pharmaceutical industry
• U.S. animal rights legislation
• U.S. Government's War on Animals
• War on Animals
• War on Cancer

References

External articles

Al Gore’s Deadly Animal Test Plan and the Scientist Who Can Stop It., PCRM Magazine, Spring 1999