In an open letter to the public, Splenda CEO Ted Gelov fired back at a recent study published by the Ramazzini Institute that links the consumption of the high-intensity artificial sweetener to leukemia. Gelov called the research flawed and stated his confidence that Splenda does not cause cancer.

Researchers worked to determine the carcinogenic effect of the oft-maligned sucralose in mice. They found a “significant dose-related increased incidence of males bearing malignant tumors,” and a “significant dose-related increased incidence of hematopoietic neoplasias in males” connected with high intakes of sucralose. In 1999, FDA approved sucralose for use as a general purpose sweetener in foods. It notes the extensive studies it reviewed in determining the product’s safety.

“The real truth is all of these dramatized headlines are based on one flawed study by an isolated Italian research laboratory, the Ramazzini Institute,” Gelov wrote. “This research laboratory and many media outlets are sensationalizing the study and misleading you. This type of fear mongering does a disservice to healthcare providers, their patients and you.”