[RAGG] RE: Tampon/Pad health alert

Thu May 13 15:27:03 CDT 2004

All:

I usually take the time to check these kinds of things for urban legends,
but I received it from someone who doesn't usually send them.

After checking http://www.snopes.com (a website that catalogues and debunks
urban legends frequently passed on via email), it turns out that this health
alert *is* a hoax.  Please don't forward it on to anyone.

I apologize for not being more careful in checking this out.

Anne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne Odom * Product Manager * WebEasel, Inc.
WebEasel - It's that easy!
anne at webeasel.net * www.webeasel.net * 217.344.0444

  -----Original Message-----
  From: imc-girls-bounces at lists.cu.groogroo.com
[mailto:imc-girls-bounces at lists.cu.groogroo.com]On Behalf Of Theresa Ferrer
  Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 2:52 PM
  To: Anne Odom; ragg at ucimc.org
  Cc: perezrewe at perezkrewe.com; caringforyou at custhelp.com
  Subject: [RAGG] RE: Tampon/Pad health alert

  As soon as I got today's email regarding safety issues with tampons I went
to the Tampax website because I have been using Tampax tampons for 16 years
and, like many of you, have had problems with my cervix and general female
health. I clicked on the "contact" button and tried to post the email in the
area designated for my message but the message was too large. So instead I
said:
  "An email was sent to me today that raises serious questions about the
materials used to make your tampons. I tried to post it here but have not
been successful. Please respond."

  Within 20 minutes I received a response from Sherri at Tampax (see below).
I never sent her the email -- I didn't have to. Her response addressed the
issues before I even told her what they were. That tells me that Tampax is
all too familiar with these concerns and, for what it's worth to each of
you, I'm sharing what they have to say.

  Sherri, thank you for the quick response. Each of the women who receive
this will certainly have to make up their own minds but I am going to
continue to use Tampax products.

  Theresa Ferrer
  Project Manager/Designer
  Kern Studios
  504.366.0205
  www.kernstudios.com

  Message from Tampax.com

  Discussion Thread

  ---------------------------------------------------------------

  Response (Sherri) - 05/13/2004 03:27 PM

  Hello, Theresa.

  I'm not sure what email you received, but false information about tampons
and pads is spreading on the Internet. We take your concerns very seriously.
We are deeply committed to the development of products which will improve
the lives and health of women. And, as women ourselves, we have a great
interest in ensuring the safe use of our products. I hope you'll help us by
forwarding the following information to your friends and posting it on
Internet bulletin boards, etc.

  There is NO asbestos in our feminine care products, nor has there ever
been. Tampax Tampons, Always Pads and Pantiliners DO NOT contain dioxin
because chlorine gas is not used in the bleaching process. We buy pulp,
cotton and rayon from outside suppliers who exclusively use chlorine dioxide
(not chlorine gas), oxygen and/or hydrogen peroxide in a process called
"Elemental Chlorine Free," or "ECF" bleaching. Chlorine dioxide has
different chemical properties and reacts differently with pulp than does
chlorine gas. The bleaching processes in the US and Europe are nearly
identical. Neither process uses chlorine gas.

  Purification (bleaching) is an essential part of the process required to
make pulp, cotton and rayon in pads and tampons pure and absorbent. Fiber
whitening is a result of this process, but not its goal.

  Rayon is made from cellulose which comes from trees and has been used in
our tampons for more than 25 years. Extensive testing by a number of leading
scientists at Harvard, Dartmouth, University of Minnesota and the Centers
for Disease Control has determined that rayon and cotton are equally safe
materials for tampons.

  Tampon and pad use is widely accepted by medical professionals for
menstrual protection. We regularly review our pad and tampon safety
information with independent experts - medical consultants and scientists -
to be sure Tampax and Always remain products women can use with confidence.

  While the Internet is an excellent resource for health and medical
information, users must be aware that some of what they read may not be
factual or based on sound scientific research. Many sites are now devoted to
investigating pad and tampon rumors and sharing the truth. To learn more,
visit the websites below and search on the word rayon:

  http://www.fda.gov

  http://www.womens-health.org

  http://www.iwf.org

  http://www.cnn.com

  Hope this helps.

  Sherri

  Tampax Team

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
  From: Anne Odom [mailto:anne at webeasel.net]
  Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 12:01 PM
  To: ragg at ucimc.org
  Cc: Theresa Ferrer; perezrewe at perezkrewe.com
  Subject: Tampon/Pad health alert

      All:  This is a serious issue for all us gals - I know that not all of
us are familiar with these risks and problems, so here's some information
for you...

       TAMPONS/PADS
      Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to
buy the next time, and see whether you spot any of the familiar signs stated
in this e-mail. No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical
cancer and womb tumors. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos
in tampons? Why would they do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed more,
if you bleed more, you're going to need to use more. Why isn't this against
the law since asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all
their wisdom (not), did not consider tampons as being ingested, and
therefore wasn't illegal or considered dangerous.

      This month's Essence magazine has a small article about this and they
mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies are
Organic Essentials @ (800) 765-6491 and Terra Femme @ (800) 755-0212. A
woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado at Boulder sent the
following:" I am writing this because women are not being informed about the
dangers of something most of us use tampons. I am taking a class this month
and I have been learning a lot about biology and woman, including much about
feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that tampons are actually
dangerous (for other reasons than TSS). "

      HERE IS THE SCOOP:
      Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful: Rayon (for
absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the products). The
tampon industry is convinced that women need bleached white products in
order to view the product as pure and clean. The problem here is that the
dioxin produced in this bleaching process can lead to very harmful problems
for a woman. Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic (cancer-associated) and is
toxic to the immune and reproductive systems. It has also been linked to
endometriosis and lower sperm counts for men, for both, it breaks down the
immune system. Last September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
reported that there really is no set "acceptable" level of exposure to
dioxin given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate.

      The real danger comes from repeated contact (Karen Houppert "Pulling
the Plug on the Tampon Industry"). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day,
five days a month, for 38 menstruating years is "repeated contact",
wouldn't' you? Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because
it is a highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibres from the tampons
are left behind in the vagina (as it usually occurs), it creates a breeding
ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just
cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome)
occurs.

      WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
      Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all
cotton. Other feminine hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin as
well, but they are not nearly as dangerous since they are not in direct
contact with the vagina. The pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but
obviously tampons are the most dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't
give up using tampons? Use tampons that are made from 100% cotton, and that
are UNBLEACHED. Unfortunately, there are very, few companies that make these
safe tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores. Countries
all over the world Sweden, German, British Columbia, etc.) have demanded a
switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S has decided to keep us in the
dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a campaign against
chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later, the makers of
sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the green methods
available). (MS magazine, May/June 1995).

      WHAT TO DO NOW:
      Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this
industry and the government, let's do something about it! Please write to
the companies: Tampax (Tambrands), Playtex, OB., Kotex. Let them know that
we demand a safe product ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.cu.groogroo.com/mailman/archive/imc-girls/attachments/20040513/43325d53/attachment.htm