I have written about genetically modified organisms before (# 052, 110, 111 & 195). This week I want to share a recent report that I just learned about.
GMO Myths and Truths – An evidence-based examination of the claims made for the safety and efficacy of genetically modified crops is a 123 page report published in June 2012 by a not-for-profit organization called Earth Open Source. The authors have impressive backgrounds. Michael Antoniou is a genetics professor at King’s College London school of Medicine, UK, with 28 years experience in genetic engineering technology and over 40 peer reviewed publications plus several patents in gene expression biotechnology. John Fagan is founder of one of the world’s first GMO testing and certification companies and previously conducted cancer research at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Claire Robinson is an investigative reporter specializing in public health, science and the environment. So these are solid scientists and science writers, not just crackpot environmentalists.
The authors concluded that, contrary to industry promotional claims, GM crops:
• are totally different from natural breeding and pose different risks
• can be toxic, allergenic or less nutritious than natural crops
• are not adequately regulated to ensure safety
• have not increased yield potential
• increase rather than decrease pesticide use
• create serious problems for farmers including herbicide-tolerant “superweeds”, compromised soil quality, and increased disease susceptibility
• are as energy-hungry as other chemically-farmed crops
• cannot solve world hunger but distract from its real causes.
You can read the entire report online at http://earthopensource.org/gmo-myths-truths-reports/
For further discussion of this report and an interview with Thierry Vrain, a former research scientist with Agriculture Canada, see Mercola.com.
For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.
Earth Open Source - with a name like that, I can imagine how unbiased they are. The conclusions above are simply the same old same old. It is like Global Warming, it is impossible to find the truth because everyone has a political agenda.
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