A new European Union food safety law requires detailed medical histories for all imported horse meat from countries such as the US and Canada. Banned substances include certain antibiotics, all growth hormones and especially phenylbutazone, a pain medicine that has been known to cause cancer in humans.

Despite such known and unknown risks to human health, similar substances are all too commonly administered to other farmed animals throughout the world. In the case of cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys, for example, antibiotics and growth hormones are used systematically to promote unnaturally rapid weight gain
as well as curb rampant infections created by the overcrowded and utterly filthy conditions.

Such practices in the meat industry have resulted in the spawning of new pathogens, including the H1N1 pandemic swine flu virus. In a swine flu update, death tolls have increased in recent days to 119 in Romania, 57 in Âu Lạc (Vietnam), 258 in Egypt, and 1,235in India. Even in countries with high levels of testing
to diagnose the virus, experts say that there are numerous cases and deaths that are never recorded.

We sorrow for the victims and the families of swine flu and other impacts related to the meat industry.
Our prayers for the soon end of the suffering and worry as more and more people turn to the wholesome and humane organic vegan fare.

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2010/01/163.shtml http://www.pennsylvaniaequestrian.com/news/EU-
ban-1009.php
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm124078.htm
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/25333/
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?Language=en&id=2058032
http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/One-more-AH1N1-fatality-confirmed-in-Quang-Ninh/20101/112248.vov
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http://netindian.in/news/2010/01/30/0005104/7-more-swine-flu-deaths-india-toll-rises-1221