| GE Free NZ, 19th
June 2003
Authorities admit there were NO clinical trials on GE food.(1) The health of New Zealanders and the world population is at stake as a result of the sale of untested GE foods by multinationals promoting GE crops. The industry has a poor record for reporting and preventing any negative impacts on health and the environment of their products, but for the first time authorities responsible for protecting the public have admitted they have conducted no clinical tests on the impact of GE food. This is a grave abuse of their responsibility to the consumer. After years of asking for assurances into the safety of GMO's during which the informed public and GE Free NZ has and been labelled "luddites" and "scientifically ignorant" it is finally admitted there are still no confirmed studies to follow up the findings of the Rowett Institute on the health effects of GMO's. (1) An EU commentator reported recently the pro GE lobby had carried out "the most sustained, ruthless and unscrupulous propaganda campaign from corporate lobbyists, ever witnessed". It is more concerning that people wanting to avoid the risks of GE foods are being denied any choice. Contamination has become a major problem in seed stock in the Americas, despite attempts at segregation. There are no longer GE Free conventional stocks of some crops genetically engineered in recent years and contamination of other grains with GE corn and soy is becoming problematic. All GE crops need to go back to the laboratory and undergo proper scientific and clinical testing to prove they are safe", said Claire Bleakley. New studies also seem to suggest that gene therapy may have a greater chance of causing cancer than previously indicated, adding weight to safety concerns (2). Claire Bleakley (06) 3089842 Back to Press Release Directory
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GE-Free New Zealandin food and environment (RAGE Inc.) |