|
Friday, March 05, 2004
Scientist says no study yet proving GMO safety
THE global scientific community has yet to come up with substantial studies that will prove the safety of products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), particularly of the controversial Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) corn, despite its growing market worldwide.
Dr. Terje Traavik, a scientist from the Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology, warned that producers of various GMO products, as well as independent institutions specializing on genetic engineering, have not yet proven whether such products are either safe or hazardous for humans and the environment.
"Nobody, even from my fellow scientists, could really say now if GMO products are safe or not," Traavik said in a press conference in General Santos City Thursday.
Traavik, who is based at the University of Tromso in Norway, admitted that there are not enough studies on the safety of GMOs, even from independent scientists, as the studies entail huge costs.
He said the United States-based Monsanto Company, producer of the Bt corn, have presented supposed findings on the safety of their products, but he pointed out that the findings were "not scientifically substantiated".
"If you look at their (study) design, they were more on the productional elements. There were no studies on what happened to the bodies of the scientists exposed to them," he said.
Traavik presented in General Santos the preliminary results of a recent study that showed traces of the Bt toxin in blood samples of 38 people who were downed last year by alleged infections caused by the flowering Bt corn plants in Sitio Kalyong, Barangay Landan in Polomolok, South Cotabato.
At least 106 lumad (indigenous people) residents, mostly elderly and children, sought medical treatment July last year due to infections supposedly caused by the pollens of 60-day-old Bt corn planted in at least two sites in Sitio Kalyong.
According to documented accounts by at least 51 residents, the symptoms allegedly caused by the Bt corn range from gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, headache, cough, colds and skin allergies.
Traavik said the study, which showed antibodies against the Bt toxin, confirms that the affected residents have been exposed to the Bt toxin over the last six to nine months.
Although citing that the exposure to the Bt toxin was "conclusive," Traavik said he could not say if the production of the antibodies against the Bt toxin was related to the disease suffered by the affected residents.
"These findings ultimately show that there are a lot of unclarified potential risks regarding these GMO products," Traavik said.
But the scientist said they are now pushing for more studies on the safety of the GMOs by independent scientists.
Traavik said a consortium of at least 12 independent institutions in Europe, including his University of Tromso laboratory, is now collaborating for studies on the matter.
"We need to emphasize that these should be done by independent scientists, otherwise we will have the same questions left unanswered all over again," he said.
He said that most scientists working on the matter are either funded or directly working for producers of the questioned biotechnology products.
Bt corn, which was developed to resist Asian corn borers, was distributed commercially in the Philippines beginning last year after obtaining approval from the government in late 2002.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and seed producer Monsanto have repeatedly assured that Bt corn is safe.
(March 5, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
