Gaps in GM tests: scientist

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Gaps in GM tests: scientist

" GM WATCH " <info

 

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 15:51:15 +0100

 

 

Gaps in GM tests: scientist

http://www.gmwatch.org

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Scientist Dr Judy Carmen points out in the article below that a link

between human disease and genetically modified food may exist even if

such a link is never found

 

This view is supported by Ben Miflin, former director of the Institute

of Arable Crops at Rothamsted, near London, who is a GM proponent. As

an article in the journal Nature notes, " He argues that, under current

monitoring conditions, any unanticipated health impact of such foods

would need to be a 'monumental disaster' to be detectable " .

 

According to the article, " Miflin points out that a general increase

in gastrointestinal disorders, for example, would be difficult to

attribute to a particular food, given the diverse possible origins of

such symptoms. "

 

EPA toxicologist Dr Susan Wuerthele points out in the same article,

" It took us 60 years to realize that DDT might have oestrogenic

activities and affect humans, but we are now being asked to believe

that everything is OK with GM foods because we haven't seen any dead

bodies yet. " (Long-term effect of GM crops serves up food for thought,

Nature, Volume 398:651)

http://boston.earthsave.org/Nature042299.htm

 

As Dr Carmen notes, " Consumers get no benefit and they take all the

risk.''

 

More views from scientists:

http://www.gmwatch.org/p1temp.asp?pid=3 & page=1

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Gaps in GM tests: scientist

Thursday, October 14

JANE BUNCE

http://www.geelonginfo.com.au/readarticle.asp?articleid=13328

 

AN anti-genetic engineering scientist is maintaining that a link

between human disease and genetically modified food may exist even if

such a link is never found.

 

The Public Health Association of Australia's Dr Judy Carmen told a

forum organised by Geelong Organic Gardeners this week that a link

would be difficult to prove scientifically because people could not be

expected to remember everything they ate.

 

" There are surveillance systems only for a few existing diseases,''

she said. " There may be only a small possibility of something

happening but the consequences could be awful because of the number of

people eating GM (genetically modified) food. There is an urgent need

to stop and fully test all the GM food on the market, and make sure

any new ones get fully tested before they go on the market.''

 

Dr Carmen said genetically modified products entered the human food

chain through modified cottonseed oil, for example in potato chips,

and animals fed modified soy meal and and corn, whose milk, eggs or

meat could be eaten by humans.

 

" Consumers get no benefit and they take all the risk,'' she said. Dr

Carmen, one of three national and international speakers at the

meeting, believes the testing of genetically modified foods is not

sufficient to determine a health risk to humans.

 

She said Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, which regulates the

sale of genetically modified foods, required companies to test their

own products and present their data for assessment.

 

Food Standard's website confirms there are no official mechanisms for

monitoring the long-term impacts of genetically modified foods, but

adds: " Industry must demonstrate . . . that products are safe for

human consumption before they can be legally sold in Australia.''

 

 

 

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