The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit physicians group, wants to prohibit Boston children's hospitals from serving hot dogs to pediatric patients, according to the Gloucester Daily Times.
The group of about 12,000 physicians advocate for plant-based diets. It says hospitals should not serve hot dogs to children since they present a choking risk and are among foods that increase colorectal cancer risk.
A recent survey of Massachusetts hospitals found at least three Boston hospitals — Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, and the Dana-Farber Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center — serve hot dogs to patients and visitors, the group says.
The group's representatives said they plan to file a formal complaint with the Boston Public Health Commission, asking the agency to advise Boston Children's Hospital to remove hot dogs from its menu.
A Boston Children's Hospital spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Times. A Massachusetts General Hospital spokesperson said that while the hospital's cafeteria sells hot dogs, along with healthier fare, they are not on inpatient menus for pediatric patients or adults.
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