Aspartame was initially discovered back in 1965 as a drug  to treat peptic ulcers.

In it’s first 16 years of existence, the FDA absolutely positively refused it’s approval. It is dangerous and deadly. The Food and Drug Administration did it’s job, protecting the public. It refused to put Aspartame on the market.

For those initial 16 (Sixteen) Years.

However G.D. Searle Company, the chemical company that patented aspartame, continued to spend millions of dollars in their effort to bring it to market, conducting ’safety tests’ and submitting to the FDA over a hundred ’studies’ claiming aspartame was ’safe’.

The safety of aspartame was historically in question; an investigation into Searle’s testing procedures then also came into question. During the investigation into Searle’s testing procedures, it was discovered that much of the data was inaccurate, manipulated, and just downright shoddy. In the investigators report it was devulged “had never seen anything as bad as Searle’s testing”.

What then followed was a first in the history of the FDA. The FDA requested a criminal investigation of a manufacturer; for knowingly misrepresenting data, concealing material facts and making false statements in aspartame tests. The U.S. Attorney’s office was requested of the FDA to begin grand jury proceedings to investigate whether indictments should be filed against Searle… some 30 years ago, in 1977.

The U.S. Attorney in charge of the Investigation was Samuel Skinner.

Sidley & Austin was the law firm representing Searle.

Sidley & Austin negotiated a job deal with Samuel Skinner and in July 1977, Mr. Samuel Skinner left his U.S. Attorney’s job and joined the Sidley & Austin law firm working for Searle. His resignation stalled the grand jury investigation long enough for the statue of limitations on the aspartame charges to expire.

The grand jury investigation was discontinued.

The Public Board of Inquiry, FDA Scientists and Investigators, The National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) and many, many others made their objections of any aspartame approval cleary known. Searle needed to try another maneuver, a political one, to get the approval they so wanted.

Enter:  

Donald Rumsfeld

G. D. Searle hired Donald Rumsfeld in March 1977 as their CEO in this political effort. A former Member of Congress and Secretary of Defense in the Ford Administration, Rumsfeld soon hired several of his Washington cronies as top management.

The Aspartame ball began to roll.

Donald Rumsfeld, CEO of Searle, stated in a January 1981 sales meeting that he would push for aspartames‘ approval using his political clout in Washington, rather than proper scientific means, to ensure aspartame’s approval.

When Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President of the United States, Reagan’s transition team, which included Donald Rumsfeld, CEO of Searle, hand picked Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. to be the new FDA Commissioner in January 1981.

Dr. Arthur Hayes, Jr. (above center), ignoring the warnings and recommendations of his own internal FDA team, his own FDA scientists, overruled the Public Board of Inquiry.

In one of his first official acts as the new FDA Commissioner, Arthur Hayes, Jr. approved NutraSweet (Aspartame) for dry products.

Dr. Hayes then resigned two years later in 1983 and took a job with Burson-Marsteller, Searle’s public relations firm, as a senior scientific consultant. Burson-Marsteller also happened to represent several of NutraSeet’s major users.

TIP: Go back up and click on that red link. There’s a few of those easter eggs in here. (ok.. a lot) *grins*

Donald Rumsfeld’s achievement at Searle brought him awards such as the Outstanding Chief Executive Officer in the Pharmaceutical Industry from the Wall Street Transcript (1980) and Financial World  (1981).

On June 1, 1985, Donald Rumsfeld became the first person in the Searl’s history who was not a member of the Searle family to serve as chairman of the board.

In 1985, Monsanto purchased Searle.

Monsanto is a top maker of Genetic Engineering. Monsanto is making your food. Genetically Modified food is on 70% of the store shelves today, using tactics just like this for ‘approval’. There is no independent researching on any of these ingredients prior to your eating them. None.

Below is some clinical data that has been attributed to Aspartame products.

Thank Donald Rumsfeld for being in bed with the patent holder of aspartame G.D. Searle, should you run into him and you or loved ones have any of these issues and have been trusting Aspartame:

Eye:
Decreased vision and/or other eye problems
Pain (one or both eyes)
Decreased tears, trouble with contact lens, or both
Blindness (one or both eyes)

Ear:
Tinnitus (“ringing,” “buzzing”)
Severe intolerance for noise
Marked impairment of hearing

Neuralgic:
Headaches
Dizziness, unsteadiness, or both
Confusion, memory loss, or both
Severe drowsiness and sleepiness
Paresthesias (“pins and needles,” “tingling”) or numbness of limbs
Convulsions (grand mal epileptic attacks)
Petit mal attacks and “absences”
Non classified seizures 
Severe slurring of speech
Severe tremors
Severe “hyperactivity” and “restless legs”
Atypical facial pain
Simulation of multiple sclerosis

Psychological/Psychiatric:
Severe depression
Suicidal ideas/attempts
Extreme irritability
Severe anxiety attacks
Marked personality changes
Recent “severe insomnia
Severe aggravation of phobias
Addiction to aspartame

Chest/Heart:
Palpitations, tachicardia
(rapid heart action) or both 
Shortness of breath
Atypical chest pain
Recent hypertension
(high blood pressure)

Gastrointestinal:
Nausea
Diarrhea 
Associated gross blood in stools
Abdominal pain
Pain on swallowing 

Skin/Allergies:
Severe itching without rash
Severe lip and mouth reactions
Uticaria (hives)
Severe genital itching, rash, or both
Lupus erythematosus-type eruption
Other rashes
Marked thinning or loss of hair
Aggravation of respiratory allergies
Dual sensitivity to MSG

Weight Disorders:
Paradoxic marked weight gain
Marked weight loss

Rheumatologic/Muscular:
Severe joint pains
Fibromyalgia
Leg and hand cramps
Myasthenia gravis

Endocrine/Metabolic:
Problems with diabetes (loss of control;
precipitation of clinical diabetes;
aggravation or simulation of diabetic complications)
Aggravated hypoglycemia (“low blood sugar attacks”)

Menstrual changes:
Severe reduction or cessation of periods

Hyperthyroidism
Graves disease

Fluid/Urinary Disturbances:
Frequency of voiding (day and night), burning on
Urination (dysuria), or both
Intense thirst
Bloat
Fluid retention and swelling (feet and legs)
Kidney stones

If you’d like to have a chat with your representatives you can locate them here.

Video: Sweet Misery: The Horrors of Aspartame are Revealed in This Documentary

“Sweet Misery” unveils one of the most pervasive, insidious forms of corporate negligence in the history of the industrial revolution: the “revolving doors” practices between the FDA and powerful corporations such as Monsanto-subsidiary, Searle.

Upon detailed examination of the process for approving aspartame by the FDA, the film connects Donald Rumsfeld, once the United States Secretary of Defense, to the scene of the crime. Rumsfeld, then CEO of Searle, was part of Reagan’s transition team when the FDA’s allowing the marketing of aspartame as a food additive.

“‘Sweet Misery’ has the right mix of political intrigue and corporate deception,” says Brackett. “It is yet another example of multi-national corporations’ disregard for the individual.”

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Donald Rumsfeld In Bed With Aspartame