Media Advisory
For Immediate Release:Thursday, September 10, 2020
For More Information Contact:Gary Ruskin (415) 944-7350
What: The Vermont Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in U.S. Right to Know v. University of Vermont. The case involves a request under the Vermont Public Records Act for email communications involving Dr. Naomi Fukagawa, an emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Vermont. USRTK is interested in learning more about Fukagawa’s work as the editor-in-chief of Nutrition Reviews. The journal is published by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), a group funded by the food and agrichemical industries.
When: Tuesday, September 15 at 2pm EDT. Video of the oral arguments will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx5naSorUsDA-rgrF1_SGkw
Why: U.S. Right to Know is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the food and agrichemical industries, their business practices and front groups. As a result of that investigation, U.S. Right to Know Executive Director Gary Ruskin has co-authored three academic studies about ILSI in the journals Public Health Nutrition, Globalization and Health and Critical Public Health. The studies show that while ILSI claims to “improve the well-being of the general public,” in fact it acts on behalf of the food industry.
Background: USRTK has prepared a fact sheet about ILSI. Briefs in the case U.S. Right to Know v. University of Vermont are available here.
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