Terra Femme Tampon Health Update: March 1997

This message is an alert for those of you who've indicated an interest in knowing more about tampon use, women's and environmental health.

If you have received this message in error, please accept our apologies.

At the Terra Femme web site :

-The references pages, which "mysteriously disappeared," are updated and back at the site [www.biobiz.com/terrafemme/health.htm]. Be sure to check out "Women's Health and Dioxin," a great new piece of research by Beth Filiano of ColumbiaU
- The "Women's Health & Dioxin Act of 1996" (H.R. 3796) will be reintroduced to Congress by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-14).

Success of this bill means that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will *HAVE* TO DETERMINE HEALTH RISKS TO WOMEN from tampons and menstrual pads, including endometriosis, cervical and ovarian cancers, and Toxic Shock Syndrome. See the "Politics of Tampons" page for more details , and get your elected representative to SUPPORT THIS BILL!

- Dioxin is a Class 1 carcinogen, according to a Working Group of 25 scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Internationally recognized for providing unbiased results, Volume 69 of the IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans will publish their results. Find the press release at [http://www.iarc.fr/preleases/115e.htm]

According to Business Week, Feb.10/97, a major tampon company aims to increase tampon use by launching a $60 million advertising campaign telling women that it's safe to use tampons overnight. But the Canadian government says that tampons should be used no longer that 3 to 6 hours and external protection (pads) should be used overnight. Personally, I don't believe that tampons should EVER be left in overnight, no matter what the tampon companies say!

Your comments and questions on the information are welcome. Our goal is to help women to make educated decisions about health issues, and we strongly encourage doing your own research... after all, we do run a tampon company! Be well, and pass this message on to someone that you care about!

In health,

Willi Nolan