McDonald’s recently launched a “Bacon Hour” promotion where customers can receive a side of bacon with any purchase, and doctors from medical group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) aren’t “lovin’ it.” Today, members of PCRM protested outside of a Washington D.C. McDonald’s, highlighting the devastating medical effects of consuming processed meat such as bacon. The World Health Organization classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen in 2015 after comprehensive scientific studies proved that consuming just one 50-gram portion of the animal product increases colorectal cancer risk by 18 percent. Doctors held signs that read “Colorectal Cancer: I’m Riskin’ It,” “#BreakUpWithBacon,” and “Bacon Causes Butt Cancer,” while handing out cancer screening kits to McDonald’s customers. “Your colon won’t be lovin’ McDonald’s Bacon Hour,” PCRM president Neal Barnard, MD said. “McDonald’s should be offering customers a free colorectal cancer screening with every free side of cancer-causing bacon.” While McDonald’s has added vegan options across locations in Europe, it has yet to offer a vegan burger in the United States apart from a limited-edition McAloo Tikki burger (ordered vegan without mayonnaise) that was added to its global menu at its Chicago headquarters location. In addition to the protest, PCRM dietitian Lee Crosby, RD, wrote a demand letter to McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook to encourage him to expand the McAloo Tikki to menus nationwide. “Its potatoes, peas, red onions, and tomato slices, which are high in fiber and other protective nutrients, work to reduce colorectal cancer risk,” Crosby said.
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