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REVIEWS TOXIC DECEPTION and persecution of independent scientists by Dan Fagin, Marianne Lavelle and and concerned citizens at odds with the the Center for Public Integrity industry; use of medical interest groups, PR Publisher: Birch Lane Press, USA, 1996 fronts and the media in "damage control" to ISBN: 1-55972-385-8 (319pp h/c) allay valid public health concerns; perver- Price: AUD$45.00; STG£22.50; sion of the course of justice; out-of-court NELf50 00: USD$24 95: CAN$34 95 payments with "no talk" clauses; and more. ‘etrihitore: Cam ’ But rather than leave us feeling totally (0a ee St a aroe oOaT, ph hopeless and helpless, the authors do sug- UK/Europe— NEXUS offices: USA/ , gest strategies by which we can reduce the chemical risks in our lives and sidestep a corrupt system that is blind to Nature. Canada—Carol Publishing Group, ph (201) 866 0490. he pervasiveness of toxic chemicals in THE ESTROGEN ALTERNATIVE our air, soil and water, in our food and in hy Raquel Martin with Judi Gerstung our homes, is mind-bogglingly alarming; but publisher: Healing Arts Press, USA, 1997 the complicity of chemical companies and ISBN: 0-89281-645-7 (21 7pp sic) , regulatory agencies in keeping toxic prod- «wa. . * ucts on the market (despite safer, cheaper gree Aen ireareey Zp $82.95; alternatives available) is truly diabolical. Distrib t , Aust E 1D P/L. ph As suggested in the subtitle, "How the (02) 9550 2355: NZ—Tandem Press" h Chemical Industry Manipulates Science, “ 2 Bends the Law, and Endangers Your () 40 N42, wD, cocks. ae Health", Toxic Deception exposes the chem- Healing Arts Press, ph (802) 76731 74 — ical manufacturers’ dirty tactics and prac- ° 4 tices, and while it focuses on the dire state of 1800 246 8648; Canada—Publishers the US, its messages are applicable every- Group West; Alive Books, Toronto. where. It is the result of a three-year | Bee women have found the side- research project by the Center for Public effects of synthetic hormone replace- Integrity, a non-profit group devoted to ment therapy (HRT) so severe that they are ethics-related issues. Environmental jour- resorting to class-action lawsuits. If only nalists Dan Fagin and Marianne Lavelle they (and their doctors) had known about were recruited to the project, interviewing safer, natural alternatives sooner... : 200 key sources over two years. _ This new book, The Estrogen Alternative, The authors concentrate on four carcino- is a welcome addition to the now steadily genic chemicals—Atrazine and Alachlor growing body of literature on options that weed-killers, perchloroethylene (used in dry are low in side-effects and high in add-on cleaning), and formaldehyde (the ubiquitous benefits. Health writer Raquel Martin, a preservative/binder)—but experiences are sufferer of early menopause, went on a mis- similar with hundreds of other chemicals. sion to explore alternatives to synthetic HRT Horror stories involve: falsification of data; | drugs when these were creating effects manipulation of research results; denigration Worse than her original problems. In pro- ducing this book she has collaborated with Judy Gerstung, DC (who has a special inter- est in prevention of osteoporosis), and worked extensively with Dr John Lee (who has years' clinical experience with natural hormone alternatives). Her approach is bal- anced, practical and personalised. Martin has also drawn on scientific and medical studies which prove the efficacy of natural progesterone not only in alleviating menopausal symptoms, but also in treating PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, osteoporosis Mahipulates Selence, and cancer. Natural progesterone is derived from wild yam, containing diosgenin, a pre- cursor of a number of hormones which is Bente £he bie, ona close to the form produced by our bodies— certainly closer than the synthetic varieties. The numerous success stories that Martin Endiangers Your Hedlch cites are testimony to natural progesterone's benefits. Women (and doctors) keen to explore this option will find useful advice, references and resources (though US-orient- = aera Sone are ed) included in the Appendices of this book. TOXIC DECEPTION by Dan Fagin, Marianne Lavelle and the Center for Public Integrity Publisher: Birch Lane Press, USA, 1996 ISBN: 1-55972-385-8 (319pp hic) Price: AUD$45.00; STG£22.50; NFLf50,00; USD$24.95; CAN$34.95 Distributors: Aust—Cameron Books, ph (02) 4758 7676; fax (02) 4758 9047; UK/Europe— NEXUS offices; USA/ Canada—Carol Publishing Group, ph (201) 866 0490. he pervasiveness of toxic chemicals in our air, soil and water, in our food and in our homes, is mind-bogglingly alarming; but the complicity of chemical companies and regulatory agencies in keeping toxic prod- ucts on the market (despite safer, cheaper alternatives available) is truly diabolical. As suggested in the subtitle, "How the Chemical Industry Manipulates Science, Bends the Law, and Endangers Your Health", Toxic Deception exposes the chem- ical manufacturers’ dirty tactics and prac- tices, and while it focuses on the dire state of the US, its messages are applicable every- where. It is the result of a three-year research project by the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit group devoted to ethics-related issues. Environmental jour- nalists Dan Fagin and Marianne Lavelle were recruited to the project, interviewing 200 key sources over two years. The authors concentrate on four carcino- genic chemicals—Atrazine and Alachlor weed-killers, perchloroethylene (used in dry cleaning), and formaldehyde (the ubiquitous preservative/binder)—but experiences are similar with hundreds of other chemicals. Horror stories involve: falsification of data; manipulation of research results; denigration bon fhe Cheebos) eel eee Manipulate: Felance, Bente £he Lie, omg Shtiiangerr Your Heoith tem ep, eee Be Ser ese ee IME, OC Bee NEXUS - 77 DECEMBER 1997 - JANUARY 1998