From: blbarnes3@hotmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 5:56 PM
To: Schwetz, Bernard
Subject: Methylmercury Contamination of Fish, FDA Docket No. OOP-1411/CP
1



Bernard A. Schwetz
Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Dear Bernard A. Schwetz,

<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Please help protect America's kids from
birth defects <DIV></DIV>&gt;caused by contaminated
fish. Each year more than 60,000 <DIV></DIV>&gt;children
are born at risk for neurological problems <DIV></DIV>&gt;due
to exposure to low-level methylmercury from seafood
<DIV></DIV>&gt;eaten by their mothers, according to
the National Academy <DIV></DIV>&gt;of Sciences. That
is totally unacceptable. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;Consumers know that fish can be important
in a healthy <DIV></DIV>&gt;diet. But that is only
true if the fish doesn't contain <DIV></DIV>&gt;chemical
hazards. You need to act now to tighten FDA's <DIV></DIV>&gt;allowable
exposure level so it is consistent with the <DIV></DIV>&gt;standard
that the EPA and National Academy of Sciences <DIV></DIV>&gt;recommend.
Then you need to increase the agency's monitoring <DIV></DIV>&gt;and
remove seafood from the market that violates this <DIV></DIV>&gt;new,
tougher standard. I support the petition by the <DIV></DIV>&gt;Center
for Science in the Public Interest to take these <DIV></DIV>&gt;steps.
Approve the petition and give fish consumers <DIV></DIV>&gt;a
break from this poison, please! 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt;The FDA also should expand its advisory
to pregnant <DIV></DIV>&gt;women, women who may become
pregnant, and nursing mothers <DIV></DIV>&gt;to avoid
eating all types of methylmercury-contaminated <DIV></DIV>&gt;fish,
including tuna steaks. The FDA can publicize <DIV></DIV>&gt;the
risk best by requiring clear warning labels on <DIV></DIV>&gt;packages
and in stores. FDA's weak advice to date is <DIV></DIV>&gt;just
not enough. 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 
<DIV></DIV>&gt; 



Sincerely,


Bonnie Barnes
West Virginia 25411