FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK, New York
JUNE 15, 1995
ALERT to all women! Is using a leading brand of tampons risking your life?
Are you aware of the dangers of tampon-related Toxic Shock Syndrome? Are
YOU at risk?
A special presentation, "Truth about Tampons", will reveal the
deadly connection between the leading brands of tampons and Toxic Shock
Syndrome (TSS). Tampon-related TSS continues to maim and claim the lives
of women every year.
Women's activist Wilhelmina Nolan (Willi), president
of Bio Business International Inc., along with
a panel of experts will present, "The Difficulties in Today's Marketplace
- Making alternative menstrual care products widely available." Bio
Business, a woman-owned and operated company based in Toronto (Canada),
was created in 1991 and markets "terra femme" all cotton, non-chlorine
tampons.
Also speaking will be Dr. Phillip Tierno, Jr., Director of Microbiology
and Diagnostic Immunology at the Tisch Hospital, N.Y.U. Medical Center;
Lynn Thorp, Director, Toxics
Campaign, Greenpeace, and Karen Houppert,
Village Voicereporter. Lawyers representing plaintiffs in the current class action lawsuit launched against the major tampon
manufacturers Playtex and Tambrands will also be available to answer questions.
The presentation will take place on Thursday, June 15th at 6:30 p.m. at
the Learning Alliance, 324 Lafayette
Street, 7th Floor (located between Bleecker and Houston on the #6 Line of
the Bleecker Street Station; on the B, D, or F line the Broadway/Lafayette
Station. To register or for more information call: (212)226-7171.
"Most of the more than 80 million menstruating women in North America
are unaware of the controversy around the use of
tampons containing chlorine bleached rayon fibres.
Superabsorbent rayon fibres in tampons have been found to amplify the growth
of the toxin that causes the often fatal Toxic Shock Syndrome,"
says Nolan.
Recent medical studies have confirmed that
the use of "terra femme" 100% cotton tampons reduces the risk
of Toxic Shock Syndrome when compared with tampons containing highly absorbent
viscose rayon, which provides an ideal growth medium for the TSS toxin.
Successful TSS-related lawsuits have been launched
against tampon manufacturers in the United States by families and victims
for over ten years. A single lawsuit won a judgement of $11.5 million against
a leading tampon manufacturer.
"Until now, due to lack of information, women have been unable to make
educated choices regarding safe tampon-use and possible
effects on their health and the environment," adds Nolan.
Bio Business' "terra femme" tampons are made from 100% medical-grade
cotton and are bleached without dioxin-producing
chlorine compounds. They are hygienically sterilised using a hydrogen peroxide
bleaching process, which breaks down into harmless oxygen and water. No
rayon, deodorizers or absorbency enhancers are added which could interfere
with the natural chemistry of a woman's body, according to Nolan.
"Terra femme" tampons retail for about $5.99 (for regular or super
absorbancy), and are available through natural health retailers, supermarkets
and drugstores. Orders can be placed directly
by calling 1 - 800 - 755-0212 or (416)539-8548.
- 30 -
For further information, please contact:
JUDITH SYKES PUBLIC RELATIONS 416.927.1069
Wilhelmina Nolan or Roni
Bregman
BIO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL INC. 416.539.8548
JUNE 28, 1995
On June 15, 1995, an alert went out to warn women about the relationship
between tampon use, dioxin poisoning, and Toxic Shock Syndrome.
The special presentation, "The Truth about Tampons", at New York
City's LEARNING ALLIANCE, examined connections between leading brands of
tampons, dioxin from chlorine bleaching and Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
Toxic Shock Syndrome kills about one woman every week in the United States.
Women's activist Wilhelmina Nolan (Willi),
president of BIO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL INC., discussed "Today's Marketplace
- Marketing alternative menstrual care products," and presented unique
selling strategies for a marketplace monopolized by major manufacturers.
BIO BUSINESS, a woman-owned and operated company based in Toronto (Canada),
markets "terra femme" all cotton, non-chlorine tampons.
Medical studies prove that using "terra femme" 100% cotton tampons
greatly reduces the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome compared with tampons containing
rayon fibers, which actually amplify the TSST-1 toxin. Successful TSS-related
lawsuits have been launched against tampon manufacturers in the United States
by families and victims for over ten years; a single lawsuit won a judgment
of $11.5 million against a leading tampon manufacturer.
"Incomplete and misleading information has made it impossible for women
to learn about the serious health and the environmental dangers from defective
tampons." adds Nolan.
Also on the panel was Dr. Philip Tierno, Jr., who has analyzed all the tampons
on the market independent of research grants from tampon companies. Tierno,
Director of Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology at New York University
Hospital, has completed many studies that show that the toxin that causes
tampon-related Toxic Shock amplifies in the presence of rayon.
Lynn Thorp, of the GREENPEACE
Toxic Campaign, focused on tampons and dioxin. Dioxin is a by-product of
the chlorine compounds used in the production of rayon; minute amounts of
the poison have been found in rayon tampons. No level of dioxin is safe
for humans. Dioxin accumulates in fatty tissue and is known to mutate plant,
animal, marine and human life. She stressed the fact that dioxin which has
been said to occur naturally, cannot be found in historical and archeological
material samples.
VILLAGE VOICE reporter Karen Houppert
discussed the questionable marketing of menstrual care products and how
this affects women. Houppert maintained that tampon companies promoting
women's fear of odors and the denial of menstruation, discourages women
from becoming informed about the products that they use.
Lawyers representing plaintiffs in THE CURRENT class
action suit launched against the major tampon manufacturers Playtex
and Tambrands were available to answer questions and talked to women in
the process of litigating their tampon-TSS law suits against manufacturers.
BIO BUSINESS' "terra femme" tampons are made from 100% surgical-grade
cotton without dioxin-producing chlorine compounds; they are hygienically
sterilized using oxygen bleach. "No rayon, waxes, deodorizers or absorbency
enhancers are added that might interfere with a woman's natural chemistry,"
according to Nolan.
"Terra femme" tampons retail for about $5.99 (for regular or super
absorbency), and are available through natural health retailers, supermarkets
and drugstores. Orders can be placed directly by calling (800) 755-0212
or (416) 539-8548.
- 30 -
For further information, please contact:
JUDITH SYKES PUBLIC RELATIONS 416.927.1069
Wilhelmina Nolan or Roni
Bregman
BIO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL INC. 416.539.8548
78 Hallam St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6H 1W8
Phone: (416)539-8548 Fax: (416)539-9784
Order terra femme
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