Fwd: [Union of Concerned Scientists] U.S. PIRG : Say No to Drugs in Your Food

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New thread " U.S. PIRG : Say No to Drugs in Your Food "

created by James M N at 10:19:29 PM on Monday, September 27,

2004 on Union of Concerned Scientists:

 

U.S. PIRG : Say No to Drugs in Your Food

 

U.S. PIRG : Say No to Drugs in Your Food

Dear U.S. PIRG supporter,

 

Recent estimates show that up to 70 percent of the food on

your local supermarket shelves has been genetically

engineered, meaning that scientists have altered the food by

inserting genes from another organism's DNA. Despite the many

health and environmental risks posed by Genetic Engineering

(GE), very few laws are in place to regulate this industry.

 

Unfortunately, Senator Richard Durbin (IL) has proposed

legislation that would further weaken existing regulations on

GE foods.

 

Please take a moment to tell both Senator Durbin and your

senators that you want Congress to strengthen, not weaken,

regulations on GE foods. Then, ask your friends and family

to help by forwarding this email to them.

 

To take action, below or paste it into

your web browser:

 

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=810 & id4=ES

 

Background

 

Genetic engineering (GE) is an imprecise technology that

artificially splices genes from one organism into another,

thus creating a completely new and different crop or animal.

Many health and environmental risks posed by genetically

engineered (GE) crops and animals have been voiced by

scientists but have yet to be adequately explored. As a result,

many consumers are rejecting genetically engineered crops

and calling for stricter controls on the planting and selling

of genetically engineered foods. Despite the risks

involved with the production and consumption of GE crops as well

as consumer opposition, the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),

and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal

agencies responsible for ensuring the safety of genetically

engineered crops and animals, have largely left it to the

biotechnology industry to regulate itself. In fact several

years after this technology has begun to perme

ate the food supply, there is still no mandatory safety

testing required by the FDA.

 

Senator Richard Durbin, (IL) has proposed a bill that at

first glance seems to strengthen regulation of GE by

requiring a mandatory safety approval process by the FDA.

Unfortunately, this bill would actually weaken the already sparse

regulation of GE foods.

 

First, this bill permits the FDA to determine a safe level

for GE crops that produce pharmaceutical drugs and are

never intended for human consumption. Currently the FDA does

not permit food contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs to be

placed in the market. If the Durbin bill passes, it would

establish a " tolerance " level for food contamination by

plant-made pharmaceutical drugs. Therefore the bill would

weaken the already poor regulatory structure and expose

consumers to unwanted drugs in the very food they eat.

 

Second, the bill does not clearly establish protocols that

the FDA would use to test GE crops for safety. The bill

permits the FDA to issue a finding that a GE food is " safe "

based on vague standards. Any bill addressing the many

safety risks that GE foods cause must require the FDA to demand

specific tests that would ensure, for example, that the

addition of genetic material does not cause severe allergic

reactions. Without strict and explicit requirements this

bill may make the state of GE food regulation even worse.

 

Finally, the bill permits the FDA to approve the release of

genetically engineered animals, like fish, into the food

supply and the environment. Studies on fish have shown that

if a GE animal is released into the environment it could

lead to the extinction of native non-GE species.

Furthermore, the safety of human ingestion of GE animals is quite

uncertain. GE animals pose great risks and at least for now

their release should be prohibited as opposed to encouraged.

 

Please take a moment to let Senator Durbin and your

senators know that you deserve safe food and want stricter, not

weaker, laws. Then, ask your friends and family to help by

forwarding this email to them.

 

To take action, below or paste it into

your web browser:

 

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=810 & id4=ES

 

Sincerely,

 

Gene Karpinski

U.S. PIRG Executive Director

GeneK

http://www.USPIRG.org

 

P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to

share this e-mail with your family and friends.

 

 

 

 

 

http://pets.care2.com/

 

" The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. " --

Plato

" Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing

health care to all Americans is socialism. " -- anon