From: pamelabahosl@hotmail.com
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 10:04 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Methylmercury Contamination of Fish, FDA Docket No. OOP-1411/CP
1



Food and Drug Administration, Dockets Management Branch
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20857

Dear Food and Drug Administration, Dockets Management Branch,

Please help protect America's kids from birth defects
caused by contaminated fish. Each year more than 60,000
children are born at risk for neurological problems
due to exposure to low-level methylmercury from seafood
eaten by their mothers, according to the National Academy
of Sciences. That is totally unacceptable.  The EPA
is also in agreement with the NAS standards. 

Consumers know that fish can be important in a healthy
diet. But that is only true if the fish doesn't contain
chemical hazards. You need to act now to tighten FDA's
allowable exposure level so it is consistent with the
standard that the EPA and National Academy of Sciences
recommend. Then you need to increase the agency's monitoring
and remove seafood from the market that violates this
new, tougher standard. I support the petition by the
Center for Science in the Public Interest to take these
steps. Approve the petition and give fish consumers
a break from this poison, please! 

 The FDA should publicize the risk best by requiring
clear warning labels on packages and in stores. FDA's
weak advice to date is just not enough. 



Sincerely,


pamela hosler
6571 Arsenal St
St. Louis, Missouri 63139