EASY WAY #2
Avoid birth control & hormone replacement (HRT) drugs if over 40
Increased risk of developing breast cancer from contraceptive drugs
Numerous research studies indicate that contraceptive drugs can double or triple your
risk of developing estrogen negative breast cancers if you are over 40 and still using a contraceptive pill, patch or injection. A single recent study also showed a four-fold increased risk of developing triple negative breast cancer among oral contraceptive users under 45 years old.
Contraceptive and HRT drugs classified as carcinogenic
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies estrogen-progestin combination drugs used in birth control and hormone replacement drugs as a Group 1 Carcinogen for breast, cervical and liver cancers. This is WHO’s highest classification of carcinogenicity, used only when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.
Drug companies continue to mislead women who purchase contraceptive drugs:
Those inserts or printed sheets found in birth control refills include only outdated and misleading information regarding links between oral contraceptives and breast cancer.
- Junel Fe 21 Day and Kariva inserts: Barr Labs lists oral contraceptive research from 1963 to 1986 instead of more recently published studies.
- Ocella inserts: Bayer Labs does not cite a single research study to back up the numerous misleading statements they make regarding oral contraceptives and breast cancer risks.
Contraceptive drugs create large profits
Contraceptive drugs are currently a $4 billion a year market in the United States. As more mid-life women or their partners choose to substitute IUDs, diaphragms, tubal ligations or vasectomies for birth control drugs, Barr, Bayer and other pharmaceutical companies stand to lose hundreds of millions in annual profits.
Hormone replacement (HRT) drugs linked to increased risk for breast cancer
Sales of the HRT drugs, Premarin and Prempo dropped by 60% in 2002 when the National Women’s Health Initiative showed that HRT drugs increased a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 26%. Twenty million women stopped filling their HRT prescriptions overnight; Sales dropped from $2 billion to $1 billion in the following year.
Subsequently, by the end of 2003, U.S. cancer rates for estrogen positive breast cancer in post menopausal women had dropped by 15% where they have remained to date for this group of older women. Current increases in U.S. breast cancer rates appear to be happening because more and more younger or premenopausal women are developing various types of invasive breast cancers and as more and more older women develop triple negative and other types of estrogen negative breast cancers.
Birth Control & HRT Articles
State of the Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment: 2008. This 127 page document is written in easy-to-understand language and lists recent of the research data they discuss.Read about the recent research linking birth control drugs and breast cancer. State of the Evidence is produced by the non profit, non commercial and independent Breast Cancer Fund. Visit their website to download or request a free hard copy.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2006 — Oral Contraceptive Use and Breast Cancer Risk: Current Status
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2006 — Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor for premenopausal Breast Cancer: A meta Analysis:
August 5, 2009, New York Times — Medical Papers by Ghostwriters Pushed Therapy
Worker's World — Breast cancer rates linked to drug company profits
National Cancer Institute — Decrease in Breast Cancer Rates Related to Reduction in use of HRT
April 19, 2007, New England Journal of Medicine — The Decrease in Breast Cancer Incidence in 2003 in the United States