The Health Risks ofThe Health Risks ofDNA NanobiothechnologyDNA Nanobiothechnology

US GM cropsSoy 94%Soy 94%Corn Corn 88% 88%Cotton Cotton 93% 93%Canola Canola 90% (Canada) 90% (Canada)

Sugar beets 95%Sugar beets 95%Alfalfa (hay, not Alfalfa (hay, not sprouts) ?%sprouts) ?%

Minor Food

Crops

Hawaiian Hawaiian papayapapaya

virus resistant

ZucchiniZucchinicrookneck crookneck squashsquash

virus resistant

How do we avoid How do we avoid GMOs?GMOs? BuyBuy organicorganic

Buy products that are Buy products that are labeled non-GMOlabeled non-GMO Buy products listed on a Buy products listed on a

Non-GMO Shopping GuideNon-GMO Shopping Guide AvoidAvoid at-risk ingredients at-risk ingredients

www.NonGMONonGMOShoppingGuideShoppingGuide..com for shopping guides and tips

See

1-100, How vigilant were you to avoid GM food when eating out?

1-100, How vigilant were you this week to avoid bringing GM food home?

Rate yourself

1-100, How active you have been in educating people on this issue?

Rate yourself

cellsnucleus

chromosome

DNA

gene

TA

A A

C

C

C G

GG

T

TT

ABasepairs: A-T & C-G (nucleotides)

1.1. Isolate a gene with aIsolate a gene with a desired trait*desired trait*

2.2. Change the gene so it willChange the gene so it will work in plants*work in plants* 3.3. Prepare plant cells or tissuePrepare plant cells or tissue

4.4. Transform plant cells using a gene gun Transform plant cells using a gene gun or bacteria infection method*or bacteria infection method*

5. Re-grow cells to plants via tissue 5. Re-grow cells to plants via tissue culture (cloning)*culture (cloning)*

How does How does Genetic Engineering Genetic Engineering work?work?

* Steps that contain scientific uncertainties and risk potential

Gene constructPromoter: on switch

Gene sequenceGene sequence

Stop signal

e.g. Bt toxin gene from soil

bacterium

often CaMV (virus)

e.g. from pea

Identify cells with incorporated genes

Only transformed cells survive

Test for markers Add antibiotic

Grow transformed GM cells via cloning (tissue

culture)

Antibiotic Resistant Antibiotic Resistant GenesGenes““IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD TO INTRODUCE HEALTH HAZARD TO INTRODUCE A GENE THAT CODES FOR A GENE THAT CODES FOR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE INTO ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE INTO THE NORMAL FLORA OF THE THE NORMAL FLORA OF THE GENERAL POPULATION.”GENERAL POPULATION.”

Director, Division of Anti-infective Drug Director, Division of Anti-infective Drug ProductsProducts

Allergens

Toxins

New diseases

Nutritional problems

Agency scientists warned

of:

GM plants could “contain GM plants could “contain unexpected high concentrations of unexpected high concentrations of plant toxicants.”plant toxicants.”

““The possibility of unexpected, The possibility of unexpected, accidental changes in genetically accidental changes in genetically engineered plants justifies a engineered plants justifies a limited traditional toxicological limited traditional toxicological study.”study.”

FDA Toxicology GroupFDA Toxicology Group

11. . “Increased levels of known naturally “Increased levels of known naturally occurring toxins”,occurring toxins”,

2. “Appearance of new, not previously 2. “Appearance of new, not previously identified” toxins,identified” toxins,

3. Increased tendency to gather “toxic 3. Increased tendency to gather “toxic substances from the environment” such substances from the environment” such as “pesticides or heavy metals”, andas “pesticides or heavy metals”, and

4. “Undesirable alterations in the levels of 4. “Undesirable alterations in the levels of nutrients.”nutrients.”

They recommended testing every GM food “before it enters the marketplace.”Division of Food Chemistry and Division of Food Chemistry and TechnologyTechnology

““Residues of plant Residues of plant constituents or toxicants constituents or toxicants

in meat and milk in meat and milk products may pose products may pose human food safety human food safety

concerns.”concerns.”

Gerald Guest, Director, FDA’sGerald Guest, Director, FDA’sCenter for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)

FDA declares GMOs no different “The agency is not aware

of any information showing that foods

derived by these new methods differ from other

foods in any meaningful or uniform way.”

Food and Drug Administration

“Statement of Policy” May 29, 1992

Secret FDA documents

confirmed that the facts

contradicted the statement

What was said within What was said within FDAFDA

““The processes of genetic engineering The processes of genetic engineering and traditional breeding are different, and traditional breeding are different, and according to the technical and according to the technical experts in the agency, they lead to experts in the agency, they lead to different risks.”different risks.”

Linda Kahl, FDA compliance officerLinda Kahl, FDA compliance officer

By “trying to force an ultimate By “trying to force an ultimate conclusion that there is no conclusion that there is no difference between foods difference between foods modified by genetic modified by genetic engineering and foods engineering and foods modified by traditional modified by traditional breeding practices,” the breeding practices,” the agency was “trying to fit a agency was “trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.”square peg into a round hole.”

Linda Kahl, FDA compliance officerLinda Kahl, FDA compliance officer

““Animal feeds derived from Animal feeds derived from genetically modified plants genetically modified plants present unique animal and food present unique animal and food safety concerns.” safety concerns.”

““I would urge you to eliminate I would urge you to eliminate statements that suggest that the statements that suggest that the lack of information can be used lack of information can be used as evidence for no regulatory as evidence for no regulatory concern.”concern.”

Gerald Guest, Director, FDA’sGerald Guest, Director, FDA’sCenter for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)

““There is a profound difference between the types of There is a profound difference between the types of

unexpected effects from traditional breeding and unexpected effects from traditional breeding and

genetic engineering,” genetic engineering,”

“ “There is no certainty that [breeders] will be able to There is no certainty that [breeders] will be able to

pick up effects that might not be obvious.”pick up effects that might not be obvious.”

““This is the industry’s pet idea, namely that there are This is the industry’s pet idea, namely that there are

no unintended effects that will raise the FDA’s level of no unintended effects that will raise the FDA’s level of

concern. But time and time again, there is no data to concern. But time and time again, there is no data to

back up their contention.”back up their contention.”

FDA microbiologist Louis PribylFDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl

““What has happened to the scientific What has happened to the scientific elements of this document? Without a elements of this document? Without a sound scientific base to rest on, this sound scientific base to rest on, this becomes a broad, general, ‘What do I becomes a broad, general, ‘What do I have to do to avoid trouble’-type have to do to avoid trouble’-type document. . . . It will look like and probably document. . . . It will look like and probably be just a political document. . . . It reads be just a political document. . . . It reads very pro-industry, especially in the area of very pro-industry, especially in the area of unintended effects.”unintended effects.”

FDA microbiologist Louis PribylFDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl

Michael Taylor• In charge of FDA policy

• Former Monsanto attorney• Later Monsanto vice president

• Now US Food Safety Czar

Who overruledthe scientists?

‘‘Based on the safety and nutritional assessment Based on the safety and nutritional assessment you have conducted, you have conducted, it is our understanding that it is our understanding that Monsanto has concludedMonsanto has concluded that corn products derived that corn products derived from this new variety from this new variety are not materially differentare not materially different in in composition, safety, and other relevant parameters composition, safety, and other relevant parameters from corn currently on the market, and that the from corn currently on the market, and that the genetically modified corn does not raise issues that genetically modified corn does not raise issues that would require premarket review or approval by FDA. would require premarket review or approval by FDA. . . . as you are aware, . . . as you are aware, it is Monsanto’s responsibility it is Monsanto’s responsibility to ensure that foods marketed by the firm are to ensure that foods marketed by the firm are safesafe...’”...’”

FDA Letter to Monsanto, 1996FDA Letter to Monsanto, 1996

First GM Crop

FlavrSavr

Tomato

Yuk!

Rats refused to eat the

tomato

Many animals avoided GM feed

when given a choice

Mice avoided GM corn

After 28 days•7 of 207 of 20 rats developed rats developed stomach lesionsstomach lesions

•Another Another 7 of 407 of 40 died died within 2 weekswithin 2 weeksIndustryIndustry studystudy

First possible cause of problems

The process of The process of creating a GM creating a GM crop creates crop creates unpredicted unpredicted changes in DNA changes in DNA and plant and plant compositioncomposition

Unexpected Unexpected changes changes in the DNAin the DNA

•Mutations (2-4% of Mutations (2-4% of DNA)DNA)•Deletion of genesDeletion of genes•Permanently on or offPermanently on or off•Altered gene Altered gene expressionexpression (up to 5%)(up to 5%)

Disruption of gene Disruption of gene networksnetworksJuly 1, 2007, New York Times:July 1, 2007, New York Times: The presumption that genes operate independently The presumption that genes operate independently

has been institutionalized. . . . It is the economic and has been institutionalized. . . . It is the economic and regulatory foundation on which the entire regulatory foundation on which the entire biotechnology industry is built.biotechnology industry is built.

Evidence of a networked genome shatters the Evidence of a networked genome shatters the scientific basis for virtually every official risk scientific basis for virtually every official risk assessment of today’s commercial biotech products.assessment of today’s commercial biotech products.

Yet to date, every attempt to challenge safety claims Yet to date, every attempt to challenge safety claims for biotech products has been categorically for biotech products has been categorically dismissed, or derided as unscientific.dismissed, or derided as unscientific.

Changes in Mon 810 cornChanges in Mon 810 corn “Interestingly, a newly expressed spot (SSP 6711) corresponding to 50 kDa gamma zein, a well-known allergenic protein, has been detected. Moreover, as a major concern, a number of seed storage proteins … exhibited truncated forms having molecular masses significantly lower than the native ones.”

(Zolla)

GM soy has increased soy allergen

Trypsin inhibitor(soy allergen)

up to 7 times higherin cooked GM soy

(Not denatured from cooking!)

Altered nutrients

Increased: Anti-nutrient (soy

lectin) Allergen (trypsin

inhibitor) Lignin (disease

related?)Reduced: Protein A fatty acid An essential amino

acid Phytoestrogens

GM soy has higher lignin content

“Components of this same biochemical pathway also produce… rotenone, a plant-produced insecticide that may cause Parkinson’s disease.”David Schubert, PhD, Salk Institute

UK attempts to create UK attempts to create long-term safety studieslong-term safety studies

Dr. Arpad Pusztai

Rats fed GM potato (GNA lectin)

•Lining of the small intestine showed

elevated lymphocyte counts

•Thymus and spleen showed changes

•White blood cells responded more

slowly(Ewen and Pusztai )

GM potatoes damaged rats (10 or 110 days)Rats developed• Potentially pre-

cancerous cell growth in the digestive tract

• Smaller brains, livers and testicles

• Partial atrophy of the liver, and

• Immune system damage

Lancet, 1999 & others

Intestinal Wall

Non-GM GM

Stomach lining

Non-GM GM