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| GE
Free New Zealand in Food & Environment, 24th
May 2006
Cancer- causing GE Therapies Signal Urgent Need for Diagnostic Tools
Animal studies have shown that a form of gene therapy, previously believed
to be successful, has actually caused cancer. This indicates that tests
evaluating the impact of genetic engineering (GE) techniques on people are
essential.
The latest findings show that scientists do not yet understand the full
complexities of gene function and regulation and that GE foods as well as
medicines may cause unexpected harm.
"New diagnostic tools are urgently needed so that medical professionals can
identify whether an illness is being caused by genetic alterations made to
food or as part of gene-based therapy," says Claire Bleakley, president of
GE Free NZ in food and environment.
The discovery that GE medicines may also cause harm, including creating
cancer, is regarded as a call for greater scrutiny of the widely used, but
uncontrolled use of GE technology on populations around the world.
A GE drug which was trialled in the UK earlier this year caused horrific
responses in the test 'patients' and almost caused the death of a young New
Zealander. Yet the drug manufacturers and regulatory authorities have said
very little about the drug being a product of genetic engineering.
"Doctors are also being left in the dark about the possible impact of GE
foods that may have been consumed. This gap should have been closed years
ago, given that government officials are allowing GE food into the food
chain," says Mrs. Bleakley. "But shamefully, it has not been closed."
GE medicines are bound by a regulations much stricter than those controlling
GE food. "This should be of great concern to the officials and politicians
who have allowed GE ingredients into everything from babyfood to tampons,"
said Ms Bleakley. "It is a scandal only now coming to light that this has
taken place without proper testing, tracking or diagnostic tools to limit
the long-term harm that genetic engineering technology could be causing."
ENDS
Claire Bleakley (06) 3089842, 027 348 6731
Jon Carapiet 0210 507 681
Reference: Mouse study reveals human X-SCID gene therapy poses substantial
cancer risk
SOURCE: Salk Institute, USA
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