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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 15:37:47 +0100
To: info@natural-law.ca
From: Richard Wolfson <rwolfson@concentric.net>
Subject: Report on Grievance Hearing
I thought you might find this interesting. (When the GAPS report is on the
Web or otherwise available for distribution, I will let you know.) I will
also let you know of updates on the BGH issue here.
Richard
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Report on Grievance Hearings
****************************
On September 15 and 16, 1998, six Health Canada scientists voiced
grievances before the Public Service Staff Relations Board. The scientists
described in detail how they were pressured by senior Health Canada
management to approve BGH (genetically engineered bovine growth hormone for
use in dairy cows) and other products of questionable safety.
During the grievance hearings, the scientists said that when they hesitated
to approve drugs they considered unsafe, they were threatened by their
superiors with personal law suits by drug companies. The scientists were
also charged with insubordination, harassed, and isolated in their research.
The scientists also reported that files related to BGH were stolen from a
locked filing cabinet belonging to one of the scientists. Also stolen were
notes from a meeting in which an industry official allegedly attempted to
bribe the scientist to approve BGH.
At the grievance hearings, the scientists also said that another hormone
for use in livestock (Revlor-H) was approved for use in Canada by upper
level management, even though the scientists recommended that the hormone
not be approved due to very serious human health concerns. The pressure to
quickly approve drugs was attributed to the powerful lobbying by industy on
Health Canada management.
The Health Canada GAPS report on BGH, which was recently obtained through
access to information channels, states that rats injected with BGH showed
cysts of the thyroid, elevated antibody levels, and inflammation of the
prostate- all strong warning signals that more investigation is needed.
The GAPS report was suppressed, clearly due to pressure from industry,
which does not want the public to find out that their products are not
safe. In the USA, where these research results have also been hidden from
public view, BGH has already been approved.
Other countries, including the EU, have not approved BGH due to health
concerns. Previous research has linked the use of BGH with cancer in humans
and sickness in animals. Yet, upper level management at Health Canada were
pressuring for approval of BGH.
BGH is among the first of hundreds of genetically engineered foods coming
on the market. Foreign genes from animals, viruses, bacteria, and even
humans have been spliced into our foods. Many of these biotech foods are
already on our shelves, mixed in with other foods, even though their
long-term effects on human health and the environment are largely unknown.
The biotech industry is apparently concerned that if safety issues stop the
approval of BGH, other untested genetically engineered foods could also be
delayed until they are extensively tested and proven safe.
_________________________________________________________
Richard Wolfson, PhD
Consumer Right to Know Campaign,
for Mandatory Labelling and Long-term
Testing of all Genetically Engineered Foods,
500 Wilbrod Street
Ottawa, ON Canada K1N 6N2
tel. 613-565-8517 fax. 613-565-1596
email: rwolfson@concentric.net
Our website, http://www.natural-law.ca/genetic/geindex.html
contains more information on genetic engineering as well as
previous genetic engineering news items
Subscription fee to genetic engineering news is $35 for 12 months
See website for details.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
--Dan in Sunny Puerto Rico--
dan.worley@mindless.com
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