Genetically engineered crops do not pose health risks that cannot also arise from crops created by other techniques, said the National Academy of Sciences in a recently issued report.
The report, which was commissioned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), called for higher scrutiny of genetically engineered (GE) crops:
Both sides in the polarised debate about GE foods found things to praise and criticise in the report. Supporters of GE crops, like Michael Phillips of the Biotechnology Industry Organisation, say the report should lay to rest the few naysayers who continue to question the safety of these crops.
Opponents say the report clearly states that there are unanswered questions about our ability to identify possible mutations that could occur in GE crops and what effects they might have on humans.
Source: Andrew Pollack, Panel Sees No Unique Risk From Genetic Engineering, New York Times, July 28, 2004; and Safety of Genetically Engineered Foods: Approaches to Assessing Unintended Health Effects, Institute of Medicine and National Research Council of the National Academies, July 2004.
For NYT text (subscription required) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/28/science/28study.html
For more information on study http://www.nap.edu/books/0309092094/html/
For more on Environment: Biotech and Food
FMF Policy Bulletin\10 August 2004
