Milk Ad Campaign Under Attack by Doctors

The "Got Milk" ad campaign is under attack by a group of doctors from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, (PCRM). The group has filed a petition with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, (FTC) questioning whether milk is as good for people as the ads suggest.

The PCRM has given information to the FTC describing why the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, the dairy industry, and the advertising agency which developed the ad campaign should all be held accountable for false and misleading and, in some cases, fraudulent health and nutritional claims made in the Milk Mustache ads.

The ads in question feature a variety of celebrities, including singers Britney Spears, Marc Anthony, The Dixie Chicks, actor Jackie Chan, athletes Mark McGwire, Venus and Serena Williams, and other celebrity spokespersons. In commenting on the Britney Spears ads Neal D. Barnard, president of the PCRM said, "the Britney ad might as well be captioned, Oops, I did it again, sold out for an unhealthy product."

According to the PCRM, "The truth is that cows milk consumption does not prevent osteoporosis. In fact, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world, as well as one of the highest dairy intakes." They go on to explain, "People who consume an animal-protein-based diet tend to lose calcium from their bones surprisingly fast, due to the tendency of animal protein to leech calcium from the bones. Sodium has a similar effect, as do smoking and a lack of exercise."