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According to extensive FDA memos made public through a lawsuit,[1]the overwhelming consensus of the agency's own scientists was that genetically engineered foods pose abnormal and unique risks including new toxins, allergens and nutritional problems. The scientists called for rigorous safety tests to protect our health. Tragically, a political appointee at the FDA covered up the warnings and allowed genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the market without requiring any testing.[2] That official in charge of GMO policy was formerly an attorney representing the GMO giant, Monsanto. He later became Monsanto's Vice President and is now back at the FDA as the "US Food Czar."
GMO Food is Soaked with Poison
Over 90% of US GMOs are engineered to withstand being sprayed with Monsanto's glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup. Glyphosate and glyphosate herbicides are classified by the World Health Organization as "probable" human carcinogens.[3] Glyphosate is a powerful synthetic antibiotic and blocks mineral absorption.[4] Glyphosate herbicides are endocrine disruptors[5] and mitochondrial toxins,[6]and have been linked to birth defects.[7]
Industry Uses "Tobacco Science" to Hide Evidence
Monsanto and others have been caught designing their research on GMOs and Roundup to hide problems, and they distort or deny adverse findings when they do arise. In truth, numerous animal feeding studies show evidence of harm, including cancer, organ damage, accelerated signs of aging, immune system problems, hormone imbalance, reproductive and developmental problems, and premature death.[8]
"The results of most studies with GM foods indicate that they may cause some common toxic effects such as hepatic, pancreatic, renal, or reproductive effects..."[9] - Artemis Dona, Dept of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, University of Athens Medical School, Greece, and Ioannis S. Arvanitoyannis, University of Thessaly School of Agricultural Sciences, GreeceThousands of Physicians say No to GMOs
Although the industry claims that no humans have been hurt by consuming GMOs, there has been no scientific monitoring of human health reactions. Furthermore, thousands of healthcare practitioners advise their patients to stop eating GMOs, and many report that doing so has resulted in significant improvements in digestive disorders, obesity, diabetes, allergies, kidney disease, infertility, fatigue, chronic pain, inflammation, and autism.[10]
"Over half of American children now have a chronic health disorder and this number is likely to rise. Intestinal dysfunction is evident in nearly all patients seen in my clinic. A significant number of them get better simply by switching to an organic diet. It's that simple."[11] - Michelle Perro, MD, PediatricianExperts Reject GMOs as Solution to World Hunger
We are continually told that we need genetically engineered crops to feed the world, but experts dismiss this as public relations fiction. The IAASTD Report, the most comprehensive report on the future of food and agriculture (sponsored by the World Bank and the UN, written by over 400 scientists and endorsed by 59 countries), did not endorse GMOs as a solution to world hunger.[12] In fact, genetic engineering has not significantly increased U.S. crop yields, according to the USDA and controlled comparative studies. Some GMOs have lower yields than non-GMO crops.[13]
High-Risk GMOs Should Not Be In Our Food or Fields
Once you examine the scientific references, read reports from doctors, learn how corporations spin and suppress findings, and look at the repeated warnings by FDA scientists (all found at www.ResponsibleTechnology.org), you will likely conclude that these high-risk foods should never have been introduced. While rising disease rates alone don't prove causation, when you examine the published charts of more than 20 disorders skyrocketing in parallel with the introduction and increased use of GMOs and glyphosate, the potential magnitude of what these products may be doing to us begins to dawn.[14] And when you realize that contamination of the gene pool is irreversible and that the biotech industry is preparing to introduce GMO versions of virtually all commercial seeds, as well as livestock, fish, trees, grass, flowers, and pets, you will then understand that our generation faces a pivotal decision that affects the future of all living beings on this planet.
Are we ready to replace nature with a Monsanto version? Are we OK with permanently altering our ecosystem and food supply using a technology whose most consistent feature is surprise side-effects?[15]
Put genetic engineering back into the lab. Before it is used in our food or released outdoors, we must at least have comprehensive independent safety studies and a thorough investigation into the scientific fraud and deception that have been perpetrated on the American public and our elected officials.
References
[1] Steven Druker, Executive Director of the Alliance for Bio-Integrity, is an attorney who filed a public interest lawsuit against the FDA in 1998 over the lack of safety regulations for GMO food. He wrote the following public comment letter where he spoke of the doubt that the FDA's own staff had about the safety of GMOs because of "unique health hazards."
[2] Michael Taylor is a lawyer whose firm worked for Monsanto. He was later appointed to the FDA where, under his leadership, it was decided that GMOs would require no testing for safety.
[3] In March of 2015 the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization declared glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, to be a probable human carcinogen based on animal model studies.
[4] Monsanto US Patent #7771736 that states that the compounds in its glyphosate-based product are antimicrobials, otherwise known as synthetic antibiotics.
Dr. Don Huber, professor of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University, on glyphosate's chelation of minerals and death in susceptible plants that are not tolerant of glyphosate. Johal GS, Huber DM. Glyphosate effects on diseases of plants. Europ. J. Agronomy. 2009;31: 144 - 152; Huber DM. What About Glyphosate-Induced Manganese Deficiency? Fluid Journal. 2007 Fall; 20 - 22.
Eker, Selim et al. Foliar-Applied Glyphosate Substantially Reduced Uptake and Transport of Iron and Manganese in Sunflower Plants J. Agric. Food Chem., 2006; Analysis of Roundup Ready soybeans revealed a significant decrease in macro and micronutrients in the GMO plants' leaf tissues when compared to non-GMO plants Zobiole, L et al.Glyphosate reduces shoot concentrations of mineral nutrients in glyphosate-resistant soybeans Springer Science 2009;
Bellaloui, N., K. N. Reddy, R. M. Zablotowicz, H. K. Abbas, and C. A. Abel.Effects of Glyphosate Application on Seed Iron and Root Ferric (Iii) Reductase in Soybean Cultivars. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2009
Jolley, V.D. Nutritional and management related interactions with iron-deficiency stress response mechanisms, Soil Science and Plant Nutrition 2011.
[5] Numerous studies show that glyphosate acts an endocrine disruptor. Walsh LP, McCormick C, Martin C, Stocco DM. Roundup inhibits steroidogenesis by disrupting steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein expression. Env Health Perspect. 2000;108:769-76;
Romano RM, Romano MA, Bernardi MM, Furtado PV, Oliveira CA.Prepubertal exposure to commercial formulation of the herbicide Glyphosate alters testosterone levels and testicular morphology. Arch Toxicol. 2010;84:309-317;
Gasnier C, Dumont C, Benachour N, Clair E, Chagnon MC, Séralini GE.Glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic and endocrine disruptors in human cell lines. Toxicology. 2009;262:184-91. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2009.06.006;
Hokanson R, Fudge R, Chowdhary R, Busbee D. Alteration of estrogen-regulated gene expression in human cells induced by the agricultural and horticultural herbicide glyphosate. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2007;26:747-52. doi:10.1177/0960327107083453;
Thongprakaisang S, Thiantanawat A, Rangkadilok N, Suriyo T, Satayavivad J. Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2013.05.057;
Seralini GE et al. Republished study: long-term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize. Environmental Sciences Europe. 2014;26. doi:10.1186/s12302-014-0014-5;
Defarge, N et al. Co-Formulants in Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Disrupt Aromatase Activity in Human Cells below Toxic Levels. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13(3), 264; doi:10.3390/ijerph13030264.
[6] Roundup is more toxic on cell mitochondria than glyphosate alone. Peixoto F. Comparative effects of the Roundup and glyphosate on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Chemosphere. 2005 Dec;61(8):1115-22; Benachour N and Seralini GE Glyphosate Formulations Induce Apoptosis and Necrosis in Human Umbilical, Embryonic, and Placental Cells Chem Res. Toxicol 2009
See also: Jeffrey Smith interviewed Dr. Alex Vasquez and Dr. Stephanie Seneff on the topic of glyphosate and its impact on the powerhouses of our cells: mitochondria. Mitochondria create the energy our cells need to perform their designated functions—from the energy to allow brain cells communicate to the energy muscle cells need for movement.
[7] Numerous studies show that glyphosate-based herbicide can disturb the development of fetuses, causing birth defects. Paganelli et al. 2010. Glyphosate-based herbicides produce teratogenic effects on vertebrates by impairing retinoic acid signaling. Chem Res Toxicol 23: 1586 - 1595;
Dallegrave E et al. 2003. The teratogenic potential of the herbicide glyphosate-Roundup in Wistar rats. Toxicol Lett 142: 45-52;
Antoniou et al. 2012. Teratogenic effects of glyphosate-based herbicides: Divergence of regulatory decisions from scientific evidence. J Environ Anal Toxicol S4:006;
Krüger M et al. 2014. Detection of glyphosate in malformed piglets. Journal of Environmental and Analytical Toxicology 4(5).
[8] See peer-reviewed studies that show that GM foods can be toxic, allergenic, or have unintended nutritional changes, summarized in Fagan J, Antoniou M, Robinson C. 2014. GMO Myths and Truths. Earth Open Source. Section 3.1.
[9] Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009;49:164 - 75. doi:10.1080/10408390701855993.
[10] Based on direct feedback from physicians in over two dozen medical conferences in the United States.
[11] Dr. Michelle Perro, one of America's Top Physicians reports that over half of American children now have a health disorder.
In Dr. Perro's experience, the common denominator of health complaints she sees is gastrointestinal dysfunction.
[12] IAASTD is an international effort to evaluate the quality of agricultural science. Their report queries how the world can reduce hunger and came to the conclusion that GMOs are not the answer. Beintema N et al. International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development: Global Summary for Decision Makers. IAASTD. 2008.
See also The Organic & Non-GMO Report. (May 2008). Global agriculture report says GM crops not a solution. "IAASTD director, Robert Watson, chief scientist at the UK food and farming department DEFRA, said much more research was needed to prove whether GM crops offer any benefits and do not harm human health and the environment."
[13] The Union of Concerned Scientists "Failure to Yield" Report states that most yield gains are actually due to traditional breeding or other agricultural improvements, not due to the use of genetically modified seed.
[14] Nancy L. Swanson 1, Andre Leu, Jon Abrahamson, and Bradley Wallet. Genetically engineered crops, glyphosate and the deterioration of health in the United States of America. http://www.organic-systems.org/journal/92/abstracts/Swanson-et-al.html
[15] The most common results of GMOs are surprise side effects, including allergenic, toxic, carcinogenic, and anti-nutritional reactions.
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