More misinformation from GE-Free NZ

The spokesman for GE-Free NZ is just wrong, again, when he criticises ERMA for delaying its hearings into the AgResearch cattle application until after the election, the Chairman of the Life Sciences Network, Dr William Rolleston said today.

“The date for the hearing was fixed well before the election was announced and was also determined by the date on which the application was submitted.

“ERMA will consider the application and will make a judgement about whether or not to approve what AgResearch wants to do based on the quality of the evidence – not on emotion laden language and unsubstantiated rhetoric.

“Mr Carapiet should also get his facts right about the Bioethics Council. If he looked at the Terms of Reference the Minister for the Environment has published he would see the Council has no decision-making role – only advisory.

“The AgResearch application is for approval to do preliminary research aimed at modifying cows to produce pharmaceuticals. These new pharmaceuticals could save lives and develop high tech New Zealand industries.

“The research on the cows will be contained in a secure outdoor laboratory – something which green organisations have said they support.

“Even if ERMA approves this research it will be a long time before any products are ready for release to the market, and then only after they have been assessed to be safe by the appropriate authorities,” concluded Dr Rolleston.

ENDS

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