] Subj: U.S. doctors warn against ``health'' label on wine

Source: Reuter

U.S. doctors warn against ``health'' label on wine

WASHINGTON (Reuter) The American Medical Association and
more than 20 consumer groups strongly urged the Clinton
administration Wednesday to reject a bid by wine producers to
put a ``beneficial health'' label on their products.
In letters to Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, the AMA and
the 21member Coalition for the Prevention of Alcohol Problems,
warned against the effort, noting that such labels would be
misleading and could be dangerous for some people.
``The wine industry has only one purpose in mind: to sell
more wine,'' the coalition wrote in its letter to Rubin. ``The
risks and benefit for alcohol consumption vary greatly from
person to person.''
The Wine Institute has proposed two labeling options:
``To learn the health efforts of moderate wine
consumption send for the federal government's dietary
guideines.''
``The proud people who make this wine encourage you to
consult your family doctor about the health effects of wine
enjoyment.''
But the groups noted that the labels failed to warn of the
potential dangers of alcohol consumption to many individuals
including pregnant women and recovering alcoholics.
They said the labels took the words ``health'' and
''moderate wine consumption'' out of context from U.S. dietary
guidelines;
some research indicated that moderate drinking could lead to a
decreased risk for heart and other diseases, alcohol use could
increase risks of disease for some people.
The groups urged Rubin, who oversees the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, to study the proposed labels before
approving them.