Twenty scientists from around the world have come to
the defense of a British researcher forced out of his
government-funded post for reporting that lab rats
suffered a reduction in brain size, liver damage, and
a weakening of their immune system after being fed
genetically modified potatoes for only 10 days. The
development of the animals' kidney, thymus, spleen
and gut was also affected. One of the scientists who
examined Dr. Arpad Pusztai's work told the BBC, "We
find that his data are sound. We think it would pass
peer review and be published."
The London Telegraph reports that "recent research on
the same rats by Dr Stanley Ewen, a senior
pathologist at Aberdeen University medical school, is
also understood to validate Dr. Pusztai's preliminary
findings and suggest new possible health risks." And
the BBC quoted another scientist as saying, "We
simply do not have sufficient understanding of the
principles of physiological regulation to enable us
to categorize those genetic modifications that will
pose a risk and those that do not." Dr Vyvyan Howard,
a fetal and infant toxico-pathologist from the
University of Liverpool, said genetically modified
foods should be treated and tested like
pharmaceutical drugs: "We are going to have to treat
these plants like pharmaceutical agents. We consume
food in a lifetime in tons, whereas with a drug you
would expect to take it for a couple of days in
milligrams."
Prime Minister Tony Blair has rejected altered food
protests from consumers, scientists and environmental
groups. The London Independent reports that "Bill
Clinton has personally intervened with Tony Blair to
stop Britain from halting the controversial
production of genetically engineered foods. The US
President telephoned the Prime Minister during the
summer to try to persuade him that genetically
modified crops - worth millions of pounds to the US
economy - would not be bad for Britain.
"France and Austria have temporarily banned the
growth of GM food until more is known about its
effects on the environment. Clinton's intervention
has outraged MPs and environmentalists. They accuse
the US President of intruding in a sensitive domestic
matter.
"The Clinton administration has close links with
[Monsanto], the powerful biotechnology conglomerate
which develops the seeds for GM crops. Monsanto,
which made a profit of almost $300m in 1997, is one
of five companies spearheading Clinton's welfare to
work program, and the President singled out the
biotech company for praise during his State of the
Nation address last year."
Meanwhile, New Scientist is reporting that an
artificial gut designed by Dutch
researchers has cast doubts on the safety of
genetically modified food. The computer-controlled
model of the stomach and intestines, designed to
mimic human food digestion, showed that antibiotic-
resistance genes introduced into food could jump to
bacteria in the gut: "The results show that DNA
lingers in the intestine, and confirms that
genetically modified bacteria can transfer their
antibiotic-resistance genes to bacteria in the gut."
And in New Zealand, Agresearch, the government's
biggest research institute
is planning to put human genes into cows so that
their milk is more like human breast milk. Agency
France Press reports that Green Party co-leader
Jeanette Fitzsimons immediately called for a probe of
the public's wishes in such transgenic research:
"There is no plan for any official debate about the
ethics of this even though putting human DNA into
cows is a highly contentious act."
CAMPAIGN FOR FOOD SAFETY
(218) 226-4164, Fax: (218) 226-4157
http://www.purefood.org
GLOBAL STOP-GE-FOOD NETWORK
pmligotti@earthlink.net
AGRIBUSINESS EXAMINER
Avkrebs@earthlink.net
STATE OF THE FARM
-- Number of farmers in 1978 who listed farming as
their primary occupation: 1.3 million
-- Number of farmers in 1997 who listed farming as
their primary occupation: 1 million.
-- Percent of farms that produce 72% of agricultural
products: 7%
-- Percent of farms that made a profit in 1996: 52%
-- Food marketing system as a percent of gross
national product in 1972: 12%
-- Food marketing system as a percent of gross
national product in 1997: 9%
-- Animal and crop products as a percent of food cost
in 1951: 49%
-- Animal and crop products as a percent of food cost
in 1996: 25%
-- Increase in cost of seeds, fertilizers and
chemicals 1987-97: 86%
-- Decrease in real price received by farmers for
their products since 1984: 36%
[Agricultural Census & Agribusiness Examiner]
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