Secret Research on GM food Risks

Natural Products Magazine: "IOS says secret GM study reveals scientists health fears - May 25, 2005

The Independent on Sunday (IOS) says that a secret report produced by GM food giant Monsanto has renewed fears among scientists that eating genetically engineered food products could pose serious risks for human health.



The IOS says that a 1,139-page confidential report on its GM corn codenamed MON 863 reports that rats fed on a diet rich in the genetically modified corn developed abnormalities to internal organs and changes to their blood. According to the survey, these defects were absent in another batch of rodents fed non-GM food as part of the research project.



The disclosures come as EU member states, including Britain, prepare to vote on whether the GM corn should go on sale to the public in Britain.



The IOS article claimed that the report's revelations had intensified the row over whether the corn is safe to eat without further research. It says that doctors have voiced their concerns that the changes in the blood of the rodents could indicate that the rat's immune system had been damaged or that a disorder such as a tumour had grown and the system had been mobilising to fight it.



Dr Vyvyan Howard, a senior lecturer on human anatomy and cell biology at Liverpool University, called for publication of the full study, saying the summary gave prima facie cause for concern. "