>>Dear Friends,
>> > >
>> > > Today was an impressive demonstration of lengths to which corrupt
>> > > power will go to maintain itself. But it was also an opportunity to
>> > > speak truth to the face of that power.
>> > >
>> > > I don't remember what is already known about the events here, so I
>> > > will try to summarize everything that I experienced at the FDA public
>> > > meeting in Chicago today.
>> > >
>> > > First of all, the entire setting of the hearing was very controlled
>> > > and very intimidating. I have felt more welcome in traffic court
>> > > than I felt in the Federal Building today. The FDA set up a long
>> > > registration table in the large hallway outside of the meeting room.
>> > > At the entrance to the room was an x-ray machine and a metal detector
>> > > that were used to search everyone and their belongings. There were
>> > > about eight uniformed police officers at the room entrance. Their
>> > > demeanor was brusque and dominating. They only permitted registered
>> > > speakers, panel members, the news media, and FDA members to enter.
>> > >
>> > > Setting aside the events leading up to the meeting, I saw three main
>> > > areas of manipulation by the FDA. Each one maximized the chance for
>> > > a favorable outcome for the biotechnology industry.
>> > >
>> > > 1) The composition of the panels was highly lopsided in favor of
>> > > genetically engineered food.
>> > >
>> > > Each panel sat at a long table on the right side of a
>> > > slightly-elevated stage. The FDA sat at another long table on the
>> > > left side. From right to left, the FDA members were:
>> > >
>> > > Jane E. Henney, M.D.
>> > > Commissioner of Food and Drugs
>> > >
>> > > Bob Lake
>> > > Director, Regulations and Policy
>> > > Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
>> > >
>> > > Sharon Smith Holston
>> > > Deputy Commissioner for International and Constituent
>> > > Relations, FDA
>> > >
>> > > Margaret Porter, Esq.
>> > > Chief Counsel
>> > >
>> > > Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D.
>> > > Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine, FDA
>> > >
>> > > James Maryanski, Ph.D.
>> > > Biotechnology Coordinator
>> > > Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
>> > >
>> > > The meeting started at 9:00 with Commissioner Henney speaking for 15
>> > > minutes. Lake and Maryanski took up the next HOUR with simplistic
>> > > slide presentations that were insulting to the intelligence of any
>> > > informed citizen.
>> > >
>> > > There were two discussion panels -- one in the morning and one in the
>> > > afternoon. The topic of the morning panel was "Scientific, Safety,
>> > > and Regulatory Issues." These were its members:
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Ralph Hardy
>> > > President, National Agricultural Biotechnology Council
>> > > Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Inc.
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Val Giddings
>> > > Vice President for Food and Agriculture
>> > > Biotechnology Industry Organization
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Michael Jacobson
>> > > Executive Director
>> > > Center for Science in the Public Interest
>> > >
>> > > Charles Margulis
>> > > Greenpeace Genetic Engineering Campaign
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Steven Taylor
>> > > Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology
>> > > University of Nebraska
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Barbara P. Glenn
>> > > Federation of Animal Science Societies
>> > >
>> > > On this panel, Charles was the only true opponent of genetically
>> > > engineered food. Michael Jacobson provided some support to Charles
>> > > on some safety questions. However, it was clear that Jacobson
>> > > thought that biotechnology can be good.
>> > >
>> > > Charles was also the only one without a doctorate. In my view, this
>> > > setup was a deliberate attempt by the FDA to portray the opposition
>> > > as an unqualified fringe movement.
>> > >
>> > > Despite the odds against him, Charles did an excellent job. He spoke
>> > > well, and he quickly remembered facts and figures.
>> > >
>> > > The topic of the afternoon panel was "Public Information and
>> > > Labeling." These were its members:
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Marion Nestle
>> > > Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies
>> > > New York University
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Michael Phillips
>> > > Executive Director for Food and Agriculture
>> > > Biotechnology Industry Organization
>> > >
>> > > Dr. Edward Groth, III
>> > > Director, Technical Policy and Public Service
>> > > Consumers Union
>> > >
>> > > Lisa D. Katic, R.D.
>> > > Director, Scientific and Nutrition Policy
>> > > Grocery Manufacturers of America
>> > >
>> > > Carl B. Loop
>> > > Vice President, American Farm Bureau Federation
>> > >
>> > > Nestle and Groth both argued forcefully for explicit labeling. They
>> > > belittled the panel members (particularly Phillips) who continually
>> > > expressed the "great difficulty" of labeling that would please
>> > > everyone and not "mislead" consumers.
>> > >
>> > > The composition of this panel was better, and the discussion was more
>> > > lively than it had been in the morning. In particular, the audience
>> > > became more boisterous, and they completely interrupted the speakers
>> > > a few times.
>> > >
>> > > There was a discussion about what threshold of GE content in a food
>> > > should activate a requirement for labeling. Nestle suggested 1
>> > > percent, Phillips recommended 3 percent, and Groth laid out a
>> > > convincing argument for a standard based on the lowest detectable
>> > > concentration -- a standard that would start around a TENTH of a
>> > > percent and become increasingly lower with technological
>> > > improvements. Meanwhile, the audience repeatedly shouted, "Zero!"
>> > > and "None!"
>> > >
>> > > The afternoon discussion was most remarkable for a few revealing
>> > > quotes that came from the biotechnology proponents. As if the entire
>> > > atmosphere of the FDA meeting was not already Orwellian enough, Lisa
>> > > Katic spoke about polling as a process to "get into the minds of
>> > > consumers." Carl Loop flatly stated that our society "should not
>> > > make the mistake of using the precautionary principle" for public
>> > > safety. I could hardly believe my ears, but he actually said it.
>> > > (See http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/bulletin.cfm?Issue_ID=3D532 and
>> > > http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/bulletin.cfm?Issue_ID=3D1508 for more =
>> > on the precautionary principle.)
>> > >
>> > > Neither panel had a biological scientist, active in the field, who
>> > > opposed genetically engineered food. This omission was a key to
>> > > framing the debate for the news media who attended.
>> > >
>> > > And speaking of the media ...
>> > >
>> > > 2) The timing of the meeting agenda was set up to minimize news
>> > > media coverage of the public participation.
>> > >
>> > > When the meeting began in the morning, the room was teeming with
>> > > cameras and reporters. I counted about a dozen television cameras.
>> > > Throughout the morning a few cameramen roamed along the aisles taking
>> > > candid shots of the audience and the stage. Of course, they couldn't
>> > > see us doing much -- because we we're allowed to speak yet. Whenever
>> > > one viewed me, I shook my head and did my best to look disgusted.
>> > >
>> > > The agenda dragged along with FDA presentations, brief recesses, two
>> > > panel discussions, and an hour lunch break. Throughout the day, the
>> > > ranks of the news media slowly thinned. By the time the FDA was
>> > > ready to let the public to speak, it was 2:30 in the afternoon, and
>> > > most of the media was long gone.
>> > >
>> > > The FDA clearly understood that the deadlines of evening news
>> > > reporters could be used to muzzle the spread of any dissent. At the
>> > > same time, the agency could still claim that the public had been
>> > > allow to participate in the process.
>
>
>Mark Knapp
>
>> > >
>> > >
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