A genetically-modified (GM) corn strain approved for food,
feed and processing in the Philippines shows signs of toxicity to mammals, a new
study released yesterday revealed. The study, written by a panel of three
independent scientists in France, showed that laboratory rats fed with the GMO
corn Monsanto (MON) 863 YieldGard Rootworm displayed kidney and liver toxicity.
MON 863 is corn genetically manipulated to produce its own
insecticide called "modified Cry3Bb1" to kill rootworm insects in the soil, and
contains gene coding for antibiotic resistance.
Entitled ‘New Analysis of a Rat Feeding Study with a
Genetically Modified Maize Reveals Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity,’ the study is
published this week in the scientific journal "Archives of Environmental
Contamination and Toxicology." The study analyzed results of safety tests
submitted by Monsanto to the European Commission (EC) when the company was
seeking authorization to market MON 863 in the European Union. The data shows
that significant health risks were associated with the GMO corn; still, the EC
granted licenses to market MON 863 for consumption by both humans and animals.
The incriminating data was obtained by Greenpeace following a court case, and
was passed on for evaluation by a team of experts headed by Professor Gilles
Eric Séralini, a governmental expert in genetic-engineering from the University
of Caen in France.
"This case is especially significant to the Philippines right
now in the light of the Bureau of Plant Industry’s (BPI) claims this week that
they enforce stringent regulatory systems for the approval of GMOs. MON 863 is
approved in several countries around the world and was approved in the
Philippines by the BPI in October 2003," said Greenpeace Southeast Asia Genetic
Engineering Campaigner Daniel Ocampo.
"However, the approval of a GMO is not a guarantee of its
safety. The BPI can repeatedly assure the public that GMOs have passed their
standards–but as this latest evidence shows, these remain empty boasts.
Genetic manipulation of organisms is dangerously
unpredictable; no GMO has ever undergone long-term testing. The MON 863 case is
the first time that a GMO product authorized for use as food for humans and
animals has been shown to have adverse effects on internal organs. It is a clear
warning of the inherent risks of GMOs," Ocampo added.
The data in question has been the subject of fierce debate
since 2003, when significant changes were identified in the blood of tested
animals fed on MON 863. MON 863 was approved by the EC, despite opposition by a
majority of EU member states who raised concerns over the GMO’s safety.
Professor Séralini’s analysis now scientifically confirms these concerns. As the
study states, "with the present data, it cannot be concluded that GMO corn MON
863 is a safe product."
In a joint press conference with Greenpeace in Berlin
yesterday, Professor Séralini also questioned Monsanto’s analyses of MON 863
which was used as a basis for the approval. "Monsanto’s analyses do not stand up
to rigorous scrutiny—to begin with, their statistical protocols are highly
questionable. Worse, the company failed to run a sufficient analysis of the
differences in animal weight. Crucial data from urine tests were concealed in
the company’s own publications."
Greenpeace is demanding the complete and immediate withdrawal of MON 863 corn
from the global market and is calling upon governments to undertake an urgent
reassessment of all other authorized GE products, and a strict review of current
testing methods.
Greenpeace is also calling for a moratorium on the approval
of GMOs for human consumption.
In the Philippines, 25 GMO food crops (including corn, soybean, sugar beet,
alfalfa, potato, and cotton) have been approved by the BPI for direct use in
food, feed, and processing, while four GMO corn crops are approved for
propagation. Twenty-four of the 29 GMOs approved in the country are owned by
Monsanto.
At present, the BPI is reviewing an application for a GMO
strain of rice, LL62, developed by Bayer Cropscience. Greenpeace has been
actively blocking the approval of Bayer LL62, asserting that the entry of GMO
rice in the country’s food chain will have disastrous consequences on the
country’s–and the world’s–most important food crop.
"This is the final nail in the coffin for the credibility of the current
authorization system for GMO products. Now that it’s known that a system
designed to protect human and animal health has approved a high-risk product
despite clear evidence of its dangers, we need to start ‘strip-searching’ all
GMOs in the market," said Ocampo "No GMO has ever been proven safe for human
consumption. The risks these manipulated organisms pose to the environment and
human health are simply unacceptable. Clearly, GMOs are not a sound basis for
the future of agriculture. It is time that our government realized that the
future of farming must be grounded on the principles of sustainability and
biodiversity, and which provides all people access to safe and nutritious food.
The MON 863 case is a clear demonstration that GMOs can never be a viable
option," added Ocampo.
