Johnson & Johnson's Sales of Cancer-Causing Birth Control Pills Comparable to Tobacco Industry's Corporate Greed, Says Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer

Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer Press Release Contact: Karen Malec, 847-421-4000 Date: May 3, 2011 Johnson & Johnson's Sales of Cancer-Causing Birth Control Pills Comparable to Tobacco Industry's Corporate Greed, Says Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer "Real hatred of women involves their exploitation through sales of cancer-causing hormonal contraceptive steroids," Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer. The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer condemns Johnson & Johnson's and its shareholders' decision to continue selling cancer-causing birth control pills to young women instead of protecting their lives and striving to reduce breast cancer rates. On April 28, 2011, Dr. Chris Kahlenborn, a medical adviser for the Coalition, presented a resolution at a shareholder's meeting on behalf of a shareholder, Human Life International. The resolution proposed a change in J&J's policy - that it would not discriminate in employment against breast cancer survivors, including those voicing opposition to the sale of the pill. Shareholders rejected the proposal after J&J's board sent a message saying they "did not believe the resolution is necessary." World Health Organization scientists' research and a meta-analysis in Mayo Clinic Proceedings show the pill is associated with cancers. [1,2] Use of the pill has been linked to the deadly triple-negative breast cancer. [3]  Kahlenborn's testimony is available here. "Over 260,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer (in situ and invasive cases) this year," said Mrs. Malec. "J&J's corporate greed is comparable to that of the tobacco industry. How does J&J CEO William Weldon sleep at night?" The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is an international women's organization founded to protect the health and save the lives of women by educating and providing information on abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer. References 1. Cogliano V, Grosse Y, Baan R, Secretan B, El Ghissassi F. Carcinogenicity of combined oestrogen-progestagen contraceptives and menopausal treatment. Lancet Oncology 2005;6:552-553. 2. Kahlenborn C, Modugno F. Potter D, Severs W. Oral contraceptive use as a risk factor for premenopausal breast cancer: A meta-analysis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2006;81(10):1290-1302. Available at: <http://www.polycarp.org>. 3. Dolle J, Daling J, White E, Brinton L, Doody D, et al. Risk factors for triple-negative breast cancer in women under the age of 45 years. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(4)1157-1166. Available at: http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/download/Abortion_Breast_Cancer_Epid_Bio_Prev_2009.p