Concern over GE link to fever and vomiting

Concern over GE link to fever and vomiting

The latest findings in the Philippines stand to confirm long-held fears that GE crops could result in dire health problems. Early research shows GE corn pollen is associated with serious illness in local villagers who are showing high antibody reactions to GE corn pollen. Symptoms include fever, respiratory, skin and stomach disorders, and the deaths of two horses is also being investigated.

How many New Zealanders have been sick with similar symptoms and been told that it was a strange virus? There are no clinical tests for doctors, or patients to rule out GE as responsible for any problem, and there is no public health monitoring of the impacts of GE foods in our diet.

One human health study, conducted after just one snack meal was consumed, found that gene constructs from GE organism could survive the digestive process far longer than previously believed. Scientists have raised concerns that over the long term digestive symptoms leading to colon cancer could result from ingestion of GE foods.

This lack of diagnostic tools and health studies makes the application that has been received by the Australia and New Zealand Food Safety Authority (FSANZ) for MON 71800 GE wheat totally irresponsible. Indeed, the company refuses any liability, even as it pushes on with products that are a threat to the supply of safe conventional GE-free food.

FSANZ body assesses the safety of GE foods released onto the food chain. It has approved for initial debate the application of MON GE wheat

(http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment/applications/applicationa524foodd2349.cfm.

Yet there have been no independent safety studies for GE Wheat and across North America’s wheat belt there is almost universal dismay at the prospect of GE wheat being introduced.

"It is totally irresponsible to consider approval for GE wheat when Monsanto says that it won't do any health tests until it knows if it can get its crop into the Australasian market" said Claire Bleakley of GE Free (NZ) in food and environment.

"New Zealand consumers and farmers do not want it – especially if research is showing some GE crops may be linked to illnesses identified in the Philippines. Where are the published safety tests?".

GE Free New Zealand in food and environment calls for the removal of all approved GE foods in the system until further research and diagnostic tools for clinical testing are developed to prove there are no negative impacts on public health.

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