Transcript Short Presentation (5 min – 37 slides)

The Health Risks of
Genetically Modified Foods
FDA declares GMOs no different
“The agency is not aware of any
information showing that foods
derived by these new methods differ
from other foods in any meaningful
or uniform way.”
“Statement of Policy”
May 29, 1992
Food and Drug Administration
In reality, agency scientists
warned of:
Allergens
Toxins
New diseases
Nutritional problems
Person in charge of FDA’s
GMO policy ignored
scientists’ warnings
Michael Taylor
•Former Monsanto attorney
•Later Monsanto vice president
•Now back at FDA as
US Food Safety Czar
GMOs are
Inherently Unsafe
The GM process
creates massive
collateral damage
in the plant, which
can cause sideeffects
GM potatoes
damaged rats
(10 or 110 days)
Rats developed
• Potentially precancerous cell growth in
the digestive tract
• Smaller brains, livers
and testicles
• Partial atrophy of the
liver, and
• Immune system damage
Lancet, 1999
Stomach lining
Non-GM
GM
Soon after
GM soy
was
introduced
into the UK,
soy allergies
skyrocketed
by 50%.
York Laboratory
Possible causes for increase allergies
 More herbicide residues
 Increased soy allergen
 New potential allergen?
 Digestive enzymes reduced
 Roundup Ready protein may be allergenic
The Only
Human
Feeding
Study on
GM Crops
Genes
transfer to
intestinal
bacteria
and
continue to
function
Mice and rabbits fed
Roundup Ready soy
Altered cells, enzymes, and/or gene
expression in livers, kidneys, pancreas, and
hearts
Higher metabolic activity
(toxic insult)
Mice livers
Hepatocyte Nuclei
Control GM soy fed
Rat Livers
А, B – control group
C, D – GM soy fed
A
C
B
D
Rat testicles
Control
GM soy fed
Control
GM soy
Mice fed GM soy
Testicle cells changed
(including young sperm)
Embryos of GM-fed parents had
altered DNA expression
European Journal of Histochemistry, 2004, and in press
Death of baby rats, born of GM
soy fed mothers
>50%
10%
Irina Ermakova, 2005-2007
Control
GM-soy Non-GM soy
19-day old rats
Larger rat is from control group;
smaller from GM-soy group.
Irina Ermakova,
2005-2007
Bt
in
crops
Built-in insecticide
Bt
in
crops
Thousands of times more
concentrated than the spray
Designed to be more toxic
Has properties of a
known allergen
Mice ate Bt corn
(30/90 days)
Multiple immune
system responses
Government of Italy
November 2008
Mice ate Bt corn
Increased
infertility and
lower birth
weight
Government of Austria
November 2008
Rats ate Bt corn
(90 days)
Indicators for
liver and kidney toxicity,
blood pressure problems,
allergies,
infections or disease,
higher blood sugar,
and anemia
Monsanto study
Laborers in India report the
same reactions to Bt cotton
as those who were sprayed
Itching, eruptions, wounds,
discoloration
Bt
cotton
Thousands of sheep
died after grazing on
Bt cotton plants
Indian buffaloes
Reproductive Problems: Prolapsed
uterus, premature deliveries, abortions,
infertility
Sudden death
Bt corn, reports…
Farmers
report
deaths:
Cows, horses,
buffalos,
chickens
Bt corn, reports…
Farmers
say pigs
and
cows
became
sterile
If Bt
genes
transfer
They might
turn our
intestinal
bacteria
into living
pesticide
factories
L-tryptophan produced by GM bacteria
Killed about 100 and caused
5,000-10,000 to fall sick
The epidemic was
discovered
because the
disease
1. Was new, with unique symptoms
2. Acute
3. Came on quickly
Current
Assessments
No post-marketing
surveillance
No human
clinical trials
No proper evaluation
of plant changes
or effects
Approvals based on:
•disproved or
untested
assumptions
•industry studies
The American Academy of
Environmental Medicine
“Animal studies indicate serious health risks … including infertility,
immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes
associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell
signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney,
spleen and gastrointestinal system.”
Many animals avoided GM feed
when given a choice
How do we
stop the
genetic
engineering of
our food supply?
Tipping point for
rejection of GM crops
Campaign for Healthier
Eating in America
www.ResponsibleTechnology.org
www.
NonGMOShoppingGuide.com