New Research on the Impact of GMOs on Health

[Guest guest]

GMW: New Research on the Impact of GMOs on Health - updated

briefing

" GM WATCH " <info

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:39:09 +0100

 

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

---

New Research on the Impact of GMOs on Health

SOIL ASSOCIATION, GM briefing 19

 

Although some GMOs have been approved and marketed for several years,

there was no body of scientific research on their impact on the biology

of living organisms. This is partly because animal feeding trials are

not required in the current safety approval process for GMOs in the EU

or USA. Only now is a body of evidence starting to emerge from a small

number of animal feeding trials into the health effects and progress in

the new science of epigenetics. This indicates that genetic

engineering is much more unpredictable and risky than traditional

breeding.

 

Animal feeding trials

 

Recent studies have found a range of serious, unexplained effects from

GM consumption:

 

* an Australian study of GM peas revealed immunological effects of

genetic engineering with the transfer of a `safe' gene to a different

plant

species producing allergic reactions in mice. A trial by Monsanto

also indicated immunological effects with higher white blood cell levels

in GM maize fed rats.

 

* the only long-term feeding trial (24 months, by an Italian team)

found GMOs can affect key body organs, changing the cell structure and

cell

functioning of the liver, pancreas and testes of mice fed Roundup Ready

soya. Similarly, a Monsanto trial found rats fed its GM maize Mon863

developed smaller kidneys.

 

* a Monsanto trial found GM consumption affects the development of the

blood with fewer immature red blood cells and changes in blood

chemistry in rats fed its GM maize Mon863.

 

* a Russian rat study found apparent generational effects of GMOs with

very high death rates in the young of rats fed GM Roundup Ready soya

(56% died) and stunted growth in the surviving progeny.

 

* a programme of UK studies funded by the Food Standards Agency found

that genetic engineering routinely causes a large number of random

genetic and chemical changes in GM plants, the health impacts of which

are

unknown.

 

* two UK trials, one with humans and one with sheep, found that when

GMOs are eaten some of the inserted genes move out and transfer into the

gut bacteria.

 

Additionally, past studies found GM consumption damages the gut wall

and is associated with unexplained deaths of test animals:

 

* studies by three scientific teams of two different GM plants found

GMOs have the potential to cause haemorrhage. Feeding trials by two teams

found that GM potatoes cause lesions in the gut wall of rats and mice,

and two US feeding trials found that GM tomatoes cause lesions in the

gut wall of rats.

 

* at least two trials of different GMOs found unexplained deaths among

the test animals, with 7 of 40 rats (17.5%) in a feeding study of GM

tomatoes dying within two weeks ; and a 7% mortality rate for chickens

fed GM glufosinate-tolerant Chardon LL maize (twice the rate of the

non-GM fed chickens).

 

(It should be noted that these studies were designed to identify health

impacts and include toxicological studies involving tissue analysis.

These are different to the various non-toxicological feeding studies

frequently referred to by the biotechnology industry, which are primarily

carried out to test commercial aspects of GM feed).

 

The study of Epigenetics

 

The actual causes of these effects are not known, but many possible

factors could account for them. It has long been known by scientists

that

the artificial insertion of the genes physically disrupts other genes

through the damage caused by the uncontrolled insertion process

('positional effects'). In addition, the chemical functioning of the

new gene

interacts with the activity of the plants' existing genes and

biochemical pathways, and so disrupts the metabolism in unpredictable

ways.

 

However, research into the new science of " epigenetics " (meaning 'above

genetics') is also now showing that genes account for only a part of

the control of the biochemistry of organisms, and organisms have a level

of control above genes that interact with genes. The exact details of

this interaction between the rest of the organism and its genes are

still far from known. However, this more complete understanding explains

why genetic engineering is so unpredictable, with different results

produced by each attempt and why the products are often unstable.

 

GA, 13.1.2006, GMbriefing19. Updated 13.4.2006

 

 

 

--------------------------------