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Abbreviations:
GE= Genetically Engineered.
Difficulty level of link: [EL] = elemenatry level. [ML]= medium level. [AL]= advanced level.
- Leading Scientist sacked after presidential intervention because of critisizing GE foods. A sensational turn of the Arpad Pusztai affair.
- GE crops are economic disaster shows new report. The Soil Association, UK, has issued a comprehensive report about the economics of GE agriculture.
"GM was introduced to the USA when farmers were financially vulnerable. The biotechnology industry's claims that their products would bring benefits were widely accepted, but GM crops have now proved to be a financial liability. Growing GM crops in the UK will undermine the competitiveness of British agriculture."
Lord Peter Melchett, the Soil Association's Policy Director - Independent Scientists An Endangered Species. By Mae-Wan Ho, former professor of Biology at Open University, UK.
(At Cornell University USA:) "...Though in the minority, the biotech promoters said they felt very comfortable voicing their views in public, in contrast to the concerned majority that did not."
Too few academics are willing to openly criticise biotechnology for fear of retribution from the biotech boosters, says John Ikerd, a retired agricultural economist and biotech sceptic from the University of Missouri.
- The enemies of democracy. This article explains how corporations use PR companies to systematically plant biased information in the media. It also includes suppression of "undesirable" facts. Such deceptive manipulation of the public has been systematically and extensively used in order to promote gene technology. Excerpt:
"Modern corporate propaganda involves purchasing scientific opinions and planting them in scientific journals (without, of course, mentioning the money connection to the corporate benefactor)." - "The cell - a miracle of cooperation" [EL] Gives an idea of how cells work and how little science know about how DNA regulates it.
- No need for GM rice. The experience of an Indian NGO shows that the problem with blindness that "golden rice" (GM rice with vitamin A) addresses can be solved easily and very cheaply in a natural and simple way.
- Health Problems due to Common Sweetner Aspartame. This sweetener, common in "diet" and "light" drinks was approved in spite of important reservations by FDA experts. The handling by FDA strikingly similar to that of GE Foods in that expert opinions were neglected at approval.
- Alternatives to genetic engineering of food. This is not an article but a new section that has been added to the site.
- "New corn viruses of unclear origin" Two new corn viruses have been discovered in the US. Their origin has not been elucidated. It is discussed whether they may have been generated in GE crops.
- Toward a new paradigm for life - Beyond genetic determinism by Richard Stroman, Professor Emeritus of Molecular and Cell Biology. A fresh very interesting explanation of the present status of the understanding of genetic regulation and a comment on the results of the Human Genome Project.
If the announcements from the HGP tell us anything, they tell us that we do not now how organisms make themselves. We are still, as many developmental biologists have said, in the dark ages about how organisms regulate their genomes to produce adults. - Genetically Engineered Crops - A Threat to Soil Fertility? by PSRAST
"we find that it is unjustifiable to continue the culture of any transgenic crops until it has been established experimentally beyond reasonable doubt that the proposed mechanism may not result in extensive and persistent disturbances of soil ecology."
- Soil Effects of Transgenic Agriculture: Biological Processes and Ecological Consequences. By soil scientists Neil Macgregor and Max Turner
"We are concerned about the unevaluated effects of these technologies and the possible long-term residual effects on essential soil biological processes."
(Disturbances of soil biology may harm soil fertility.) - The New Thought Police - Suppressing Dissent in Science. Febr 2001. By Mae-Wan Ho and Jonathan Mathews at Institute of Science in Society (ISIS). This article further confirms the concerns expressed in our article published one year ago: Dysfunctional science - Towards a "pseudoscientfic world order"? Excerpt:
"...as corporations are growing bigger and more powerful, so the suppression of scientific dissent is becoming more sophisticated, insidious and extensive. As the scientific and the political mainstream have both come to identify with corporate aims, so their established power structures are brought to bear on squashing scientific dissent and engineering consensus." - The fate of food genes and the DNA CpG motif and its impact by Professor Joe Cummins. [EL] summary [AL] GE foods contain genetic elements from bacteria. These may be taken up by our bodies. Cummins warns that they may lead to promotion of inflammation, arthritis and lymphoma (a malignant blood disease).
- Regions banning some or all GE crops from their territory. The number of regions all over the world banning GE crops is increasing rapidly.
- The Promise of Plant Biotechnology - The Threat of Genetically Modified Organisms by Professor Patrick Brown.
"Perhaps one of the most profoundly flawed justifications of GMOs is illustrated in the often cited refrain 'GMO foods have been widely available in the marketplace for the past 5 years and not one incident of harm to public health has been documented'...In many respects the claim of safety by association is no more valid than the claim that the safety of aspirin predicts the safety of all future drugs." - Terminator genes at large. Covertly, crops using the problematic terminator technology have been released in the US and UK. These crops pose important risks in addition to those of non-terminator GE crops.
- DNA from GM maize found in chicken tissues and in cow milk. Virtually all GE foods from plants contain DNA from the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus that is suspected to constitute a health hazard. These studies indicate that such virus DNA may enter our tissues if we eat GE food.
- Exporting Corruption. Privatisation, Multinationals and Bribery. "Corruption has been going up geometrically over the past 10 years" according to Raghavan Srinivasan, World Bank chief procurement adviser. Major actors are multinational companies according to this comprehensive and well researched report from Corner House.
- Monsantos campaign reaches global proportions. A leaked documents reveals how the biotech firm Monsanto now lobbies hard for biotech in the third world countries.
- Vitamin A enhanced GE crops: potential problems. There are potentially serious health problems with such crops. In addition, this kind of crops would rather contribute to enhance the problems in the Third World.
- How It Happened That We Don't Regulate Biotech by Professor Donella Meadows. A revealing article about scientists systematicaly hiding the truth and lying about important discoveries of hazards due to genetic engineering. This paved the way for approval of genetic engineering without any demands on stringent safety evaluation.
- Organic Farming Will Feed the World. Astonishingly, it's more productive than high-tech agriculture. This is a major blow to the main argument for genetic engineering of crops. By Mr. George Monbiot
- Scientists expose "junk science" behind genetically modified corn approvals. Kellogs corn approved on the basis of scientifically deficient research. (Green Peace Press Release).
- Although this page is not at our site, we put a link here to inform you about an excellent web page:
"Whose genes?" [EL] A comprehensive pedagocial introduction with nice pedagocial comic strip illustrations. Although it was written for young people it contains many qualified facts presented in a simple and easily understood way. Those who forgot most about genes and biology or don't know about GE will enjoy it and learn a lot. Although this page is at an other site, it links back to many documents at our site giving additional info. So it is a very good and nice starting point for our site. - The Showa Denko Tryptophan disaster - Genetic engineering most probable cause.
- Why FDA policy on genetically engineered foods violates sound science and U.S. Law.
"The law mandates a precautionary approach. It does not demand demonstration of danger; it requires proof of safety. It states that if there are reasonable doubts about the safety of bioengineered foods -- doubts that have not been conclusively resolved through solid testing -- the foods should not be brought to market." - PR strategies used to manipulate opinions about GE foods.
- "Gene transfer from GE rapeseed to bacteria and fungi in guts of honey bees". Genes from GE pollen eaten by bees have been found in the bacteria of the bees. A group of scientists warns that such transfer of GE genes to bacteria may have problematic consequences. Such spread of GE genes is completely uncontrollable.
- FDA regulation meant to promote rBGH milk resulted in antibiotic resistance. Interests of corporations promoted at the expense of public health.
- "Misleading arguments commonly used by biotech advocates" [EL]
- Biotech in trouble A good summary of the present increasingly critical situation of GE food biotechnology.
"Given the serious problems that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) said may occur as thousands of new genetically modified foods are introduced into the U.S. food supply without labels, naturally one wonders about liability insurance for the biotech industry."... A leading re-insurance firm, Swiss Re concludes: "Today we must assume that the one-sided acceptance of incalculable risks means that any participants in this insurance market run the risk not only of suffering heavy losses, but also of losing control over their exposure."
- Report from the OECD/Edinburgh Conference 28 February - 1 March 2000 - "Scientific and Health Aspects of Genetically Modified Foods". "To most impartial observers and participants and certainly to me it appeared to be more of a propaganda forum for airing the views and promoting the interest of the GM biotechnology industry." (Professor Arpad Pusztai, one of the invited speakers).
- Editorial: Dysfunctional science The responsible application of Science and Technology is threatened by the growing loss of independence of science.
- "Sustainability and Ag Biotech". A review of the analysis of agricultural economist Charles Benbrook resulting in the conclusion that GE agriculture brings US agriculture even further away from sustainability than it has been so far.
- 200 Health Canada Scientists Speak Out. By Richard Wolfson. The scientists have signed a letter expressing concern about the erosion of safety standards at Health Canada, which is risking the health of Canadians. This includes the approval of GE foods foods for humans without extensive safety testing.
- Revolving Doors: Monsanto and the Regulators. From the Ecologist September -98 issue that was trashed by the printing office after threats from Monsanto. We decided to publish it here as it explains how it was possible for GE foods to be approved in spite of insufficient scientific safety assessment. It also reveals the close relation between Monsanto and the US government.
- Corn refuge spreads dominant Bt mutants. Research indicates that the "GE free refuge policy" to keep down the development of insects resistant to Br toxin is likely to be ineffective.
- World overpopulation prognoses may be wrong. The population growth rate has recently begun to decrease.
- Addition to "Codex Alimentiarius decided to support rBGH mortatorium". This Postscript was written by Professor Samuel Epstein as a response to the flawed and strong protests from parties representing or supporting Monsanto, the producer of rBGH.
- Website Search Engine. An engine for searching key words at our website has been added.
- Announce the site to friends. A program that makes it comfortable and easy to send a message recommending the site to friends has been added.
- Newspage "Problems with GE foods". A chronological presentation of the latest news about problems and difficulties with GE foods. Newcomers are recommended to read the overview: "Problems and Obstacles in food Biotechnology" that is updated along with the newspage.
- Metaphysics in genetic engineering: Cryptic philosophy and ideology in the "science" of risk assessment. [ML] Professor Philip J Regal.
- "The Problem with the Safety of Roundup Ready Soybeans" [ML] by Dr Judy Carman. Details about the deficient methods used by Monsanto in their assessment of Roundup Ready soybeans. - Methods that were accepted by the US FDA and the EU Commission, as well as most other countries as a sufficient basis for approval!
- How the Terminator terminates. [ML] Professor Martha L. Crouch. An explanation for the non-scientist of a remarkable patent for killing second generation seeds of crop plants. Includes a discussion of potential hazards.
Codex Alimentiarius decided to support rBGH moratorium. [EL]. Professor Samuel Epstein. This ruling represents the first major blow against the GE industry. The article also summarizes the serious suppression of evidence by Monsanto and the neglectful handling of the case by FDA.
- The Precautionary approach to the safety of new products. [EL]. Dr. Jaan Suurkula. An introduction.
- Immunological reactions to DNA and RNA. [AL] Dr. Sharyn Martin. This article warns for the possibility that fragments of transgenic DNA might provoke chronic allergic or autoimmune disorders including such that cause serious disabling or even lethal disease.
- World renowned scientist lost his job when he warned about GE foods - The Pusztai case [EL] This demonstrates that there is a danger of suppression of important facts when industry has a strong influence on science.
- GE crops with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes suspected to harm soil ecology [ML] These crops may release Bt toxin into the soil, where it may harm soil microorganims. This may affect soil fertility.
- Herbicide-Resistant Crops-Another GE Threat to Monarchs?. [EL] Recently it was reported that pesticide-resistant crops might threaten these butterflies. Now it turns out that widespread use of GE crop related herbicides wipe out milkweeds, the sole food source of Monarch butterflies.
- New Scientific Findings confirming that antibiotic markers may be hazardous to health [ML] New research indicates that bacteria in the mouth can take up foreign DNA and express its genes. It is possible that bacteria that have taken up resistance genes could transfer them to pathogenic bacteria.
- The selfish commercial gene By Dr Robert Mann. A general overview of the problems with GE, especially concerning deficient regulatory procedures, revealing a/o the fallacy of the (pesudo)scientific risk assessments that paved way for regulatory approval of releases. The striking and interesting parallells with the history of Nuclear Energy are described with interesting historical references.
- Genetically Engineered Roundup Ready Soy crops less profitable than conventionally bred varietes [EL]. A scientific report based on over 8000 university-based field studies finds lower yields and increased use of herbicide compared to conventionally bred soy.
- "The uses of scientific uncertainty". [EL] This important article explains how the present practice to allow industry to release any product without demands for safety assessment has been a major reason for serious global environmental and health problems. And it presents principles for the application of the precautionary principle.
- Message to investors in Biotechnology GE foods - an unethical and very unsafe investment.
- Is there enough knowledge about effects of GE foods to make it possible to estimate their safety?[ML]
- Scientists warn: Genetically Engineered Crops might be a Threat to Soil Fertility. In the worst case irreparable damage might occur if the proposed mechanism works.
- FDA records support the lawsuit challenging its policy (June 1999) [EL] FDA records delivered to the court reveal the agency declared genetically engineered foods to be safe in the face of disagreement from its own experts--all the while claiming a broad scientific consensus supported its stance. Numerous agency experts protested that drafts of the FDA Statement of Policy were ignoring the recognized potential for bioengineering to produce unexpected toxins and allergens in a different manner and to a different degree than do conventional methods. The FDA has deliberately unleashed a host of potentially harmful foods onto American dinner tables in blatant violation of U.S. law.
- GM crops harmful to beneficial insects. [EL] Pesiticidal potatoes found to harm ladybirds that contribute importantly to control insect pests.
- Europe readies for GM disaster.[EL] . A five-point Emergency Response Plan has been formulated by the European Commission, designed to cope if genetically engineered plants result in widespread illness or the death of wildlife. So the European Comission consciously exposes the population of Europe and the ecology to unpredictable and potentially serious hazards in stead of prohibiting their use.
- Transgenic pollen containing pesticidal genes may cause potentially serious ecological disturbances [EL]. A report from the Cornell University which has alarming implications for the ecology, especially in regions with natural relatives to cultured plants.
- An expert committee of the European Union admits lacking safety of Genetically engineered foods. A recently discovered EU document confirms our opinion that present safety tests for GE foods (as well as foods in general) are unrelible.
- FAQ Frequently Asked Questions. A few of the questions most often sent to us.
- Is there sufficient scientific knowledge to ensure safe commercial exploitation of genetically engineered foods? Dr. Jaan Suurküla. A review of the deficiencies of present knowledge.
- Genetically Altering The World's Food Peter Montague. A fresh review of the present situation (Febr. 25, 1999)
- Our letter to the Brazilian Government of Febr. 1998
- New link: Global Forum on Genetic Manipulation. The international debate forum of the NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. Discussions of topics concerning various aspects of GE.
- Indians resist genetically engineered crops
- Flawed safety assessment of genetically engineered hormone. Inadequate scientific basis for approval of Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) by the American FDA.
- Substantial equivalence versus scientific food safety assessment . An "at a glance summary"
- It is a myth that world hunger is due to scarcity of food
- African Scientists Condemn Monsanto Latest Tactics and Call for European Support
- Disappointing Biotech Crops
- Genetically Engineered Crops May Threaten Beneficial Insects
- The Virus Hazard An introduction into the potential hazards from virus genes in genetically engineered foods.
- Horizontal transfer - an introducton About the potentially serious hazards from spread of GE genes by microorganisms.
- Comment on the EU policy concerning release of GE organisms Based on a report on the release of Genetically Modified Organisms to the European Parliament by Dr Rene von Schomberg, Contracted by STOA (Scientific and Technological Options Assessment) of the European Parliament.
http://www.nhk.or.jp/forum/life/e/discuss2/g_index.htm
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