Classic example of irresponsible behavior by the FDA

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" News Update from The Campaign " <newsupdate

 

Classic example of irresponsible behavior by the FDA

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:02:36 -0800

 

 

News Update From The Campaign

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Dear News Update Subscribers,

 

In a classic example of irresponsible behavior by the U.S. Food and

Drug

Administration (FDA), a new genetically engineered corn is posed to be

approved for human consumption without adequate safety testing.

 

Normally it takes from 30 seconds to five minutes for a particular

protein

in corn to break down. A similar protein in this new genetically

engineered

corn takes up to 30 minutes to break down.

 

Concerned scientists argue that this protein could cause allergic

reactions

in some people. But the FDA refuses to do double-blind human feeding

studies

to determine the potential for allergic reactions.

 

Now the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking at this corn

since

it has a built-in pesticide that could have an impact on the

environment.

You may recall that it was the EPA that denied StarLink corn for human

consumption. The StarLink protein took up to two hours to break down.

 

Posted below is an Associated Press article titled " Government probes

new

corn variety. "

 

Reasonable people may wish to ask:

 

" Why is the EPA determining the health effects of this corn rather than

the

FDA? "

 

" Why is the FDA refusing to safety test genetically engineered foods? "

 

Craig Winters

President

The Campaign

PO Box 55699

Seattle, WA 98155

Tel: 425-771-4049

E-mail: label

Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org

 

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Government probes new corn variety

 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The government is investigating a new

genetically

modified corn to determine whether it is safe for humans.

 

The corn variety, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Dow

AgroSciences, is resistant to rootworm. The seed contains a protein

that

takes longer than other proteins to break down in humans - a

characteristic

that can cause allergic reactions.

 

The investigation comes five years after a recall of StarLink corn, a

variety that hadn't been approved for human consumption but was found

in

taco shells and corn chips.

 

Doug Gurian-Sherman, a former scientist of the Environmental Protection

Agency, said the new corn variety shouldn't be approved.

 

" At this stage, any kind of reasonably cautious approach would say hold

off

on their protein until we get data that is more definitive, "

Gurian-Sherman,

who worked on the StarLink issue while at the EPA, said.

 

He now is a senior scientist with the Center for Food Safety, a group

critical of agricultural biotechnology.

 

The EPA believes the corn is safe, as does the Food and Drug

Administration.

 

The EPA has formed a panel of scientific advisers who are meeting this

week

to look into data provided by Pioneer and Dow.

 

Officials with Pioneer and Dow say there are critical differences

between

their corn and StarLink, which the EPA approved for animal feed but not

human consumption.

 

The protein in the Pioneer-Dow seed took up to 30 minutes to break

down,

compared to 30 seconds to five minutes for most similar proteins. By

comparison, the protein in StarLink could take several hours to break

down.

 

The Pioneer-Dow product would be the second line of biotech corn that

is

resistant to rootworm. The EPA approved a Monsanto product that is

resistant

to rootworm in 2003.

 

Damage from rootworm costs farmers nationwide about $1 billion a year.

 

Dave Ahlers, who farms near Flandreau, S.D., said his yields increased

by up

to 10 bushels an acre with the Monsanto seeds.

 

" I also like how safe it is to handle, compared to the granular

insecticides " that farmers traditionally use, Ahlers wrote the EPA.

 

3/11/2005

 

 

 

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