[afro-nets] New Studies Show Health Hazards of GM

[The Southern Health & Ecology Institute <shae@worldonline.co.za>]

New Studies Show Health Hazards of GM to Farmers and Consumers
--------------------------------------------------------------


Dear friends and colleagues,

dramatic new scientific research about the health effects of GM
crops was announced at the meeting of the Biosafety Protocol
last week. The findings are serious, and make clear the urgent
need for certain safety aspects of GM crops to be thoroughly in-
vestigated.

In the public interest, Dr Terje Traavik of Norway took the un-
usual step of publicly announcing the research before its publi-
cation, due to the dangerous and urgent nature of the findings.

Dr Traavik made 3 disturbing revelations: Firstly that farmers
in the Philippines living in the areas where a GM Bt corn
(maize) variety was planted, have come down with an illness that
could possibly be a reaction to the toxin in the Bt maize pol-
len.

Secondly, tests on rats show that the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus
Promoter (CaMV 35S), which is used in GM crops to ?switch on?
the inserted gene, was found intact in the cell tissues of some
rats. This was assumed by the biotech industry to be impossible,
and therefore not a risk to human health.

Thirdly, if the CaMV is intact in the body tissue, it may be
found to be active, which means that it could potentially switch
on dormant DNA in our own genetic make up. Traavik suggests that
this opens the possibility that viruses which have long lain
dormant in our DNA could be ?woken up?.

These findings show the potential hazards of GM crops to human
health, and demonstrate the importance of biosafety legislation.
Dr Traavik's presentation was timely, at the start of the Meet-
ing on the Biosafety Protocol because it showed the US insis-
tence on GM safety to be doubtful.

Best wishes,

Teresa

***********************************
1. Scientists Suspect Health Threat From GM Maize
    Article in the Guardian. Date: 27 February 2004
    John Vidal
2. Filipino farmers show GM pollen reaction, says scientist
    Article from Reuters. Date: 23 February 2004
    http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?RecID=2404
3. Filipino Islanders Blame GM Crop for Mystery Sickness
    Article from the Guardian. Date: 3 March 2004
    John Aglionby
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,1160789,00.html
4. New Research on Survival of CaMV Promoter in Rat Tissues
    Summary from Dr Terje Traavik. Date: 23 February 2004
    http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=2712
5. Studies Indicate Serious Human Health Hazards from GMOs
    Press Release from the Institute for Responsible Technology.
    February 2004
    http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/human-health.cfm