-Caveat Lector- Dave Hartley http://www.Asheville-Computer.com http://www.ioa.com/~davehart -----Original Message----- From: Richard Wolfson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, November 12, 1999 6:38 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: GEN11-10 Here is a recent GENews Email posting. For those who wish to receive these postings regularly, we request a subscription fee of $35/12 months for those who can afford it. For those who cannot afford it, they can pay whatever they can afford. (Please ignore this message if you have already sent in a subscription fee.) Richard ............. (The following is a report by me of recent developments at Health Canada) 200 Hundred Health Canada Scientists Speak Out by Richard Wolfson, PhD Over two hundred Health Canada scientists recently sent a letter to Alan Rock, Canada's Minister of Health, saying they are very concerned about the erosion of safety standards at Health Canada, which is risking the health of Canadians. The rapid approval of hormones and other drugs for use in food-producing animals, and genetically modified foods for humans, without extensive safety testing, were examples of their concerns. The scientists were also concerned that through proposed legislation (Bill C-80), the Ministry of Health would lose the ability to enforce food safety altogether. The scientists recommended that the responsibility for ensuring food safety be kept with Health Canada. They said, "Failure to do so will be disastrous to the health of infants, children and adults." Several weeks later, the Minister of Health had his Deputy, David Dodge, meet with the scientists. Mr. Dodge expressed dissatisfaction with their letter, which he described as "alarmist" and "unprofessional." The scientists stood their ground and reiterated their concerns about dangerously declining safety standards, which had already allowed products of questionable safety on the Canadian market. For 200 Health Canada scientists to sign the letter of concern is of immense significance. Some of the scientists also sent in a second letter expressing their dissatisfation with the remarks of the Deputy Minister of Health. Two of the key scientists, Dr. Shiv Chopra and Dr. Margaret Haydon, who had been forbidden from speaking to the public about these concerns, are now before the Federal Court of Canada challenging their gag order. The hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2000. The scientists are represented by their union, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, who can be contacted in Ottawa. ....... Science Headlines Tuesday November 9 Green Group Warns on GM Tree Development BRUSSELS (Reuters) - An international environmental group said on Tuesday a growing number of genetically modified (GM) trees were being cultivated without reliable safeguards and called for a global moratorium on their commercial release. The World Wide Fund for Nature said in a study that commercial GM tree production could begin in the next two years, probably in Chile, China and Indonesia, despite what it said were inadequate regulations and insufficient research into the environmental impact of trees modified by biotechnology. ``WWF is calling on governments worldwide to declare a global moratorium on the commercial release of GM trees until enough research has been conducted and proper safeguards have been put in place,'' Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, head of WWF's Forests for Life Program, said in a statement. ``It is far too early to judge whether biotechnology can make a safe and effective contribution to the forest sector.'' WWF said there could be a risk of genetic pollution, the development of ``superweeds'' and unwanted effects on non-target species from trees engineered to be resistant to pests and agricultural chemicals. .......... European court to hear French GM maize challenge EU: November 9, 1999 BRUSSELS - Europe's highest court will today hear the arguments in a dispute over whether France had the legal right to freeze the authorisation of three strains of genetically modified (GM) maize. The French Council of State asked the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice to rule whether national authorities may overrule a decision by the European Union to give marketing approval for GM crops. The hearing comes amid growing confusion about the future of GM crops in the 15 member EU. No new GMOs have been approved since April 1998 as consumer fears grow about the safety of foods derived from GM crops. The freeze on approvals has increased the likelihood of further trade friction between the EU and the United States, whose exports of bulk commodities to Europe have been restricted. France's Council of State in December 1998 upheld a freeze introduced by the French government on the products - developed by Swiss life sciences company Novartis SA - pending a ruling from the European court. The case was originally brought by environmental organisations, including Greenpeace, which said that neither potential environmental nor health risks had been properly assessed when the maize was approved in the EU. ......... THE WINDSOR STAR Thursday, November 4,1999, Page A5 PUBLIC URGED TO SPEAK OUT Activist warns about genetically-altered food By Sharon Hill Star Agriculture Reporter Consumers need to stand up and say they don't want genetically engineered food in order to get it off the market, says Richard Wolfson, PhD, an Ottawa activist against biotechnology. Wolfson said to buy organic food or demand their supermarkets take genetically-altered food off the shelves. He was speaking to about 500 people at the Genetic Engineering and the Future of Food forum at the Caboto Club Wednesday. Like scientist David Suzuki, Wolfson said Canada hasn't done enough long-term testing to know such foods are safe. He said we don't know enough about DNA to know what adding genes from one species to another could do, such as unpredictable mutations of the genetic code or the introduction of new toxins or allergens into food. "We're virtually acting like God. This is what worries Prince Charles," Wolfson said. "These foods are being fast-tracked to market before they've been tested." Wolfson, a health adviser to the Natural Law Party who has a website dedicated to genetic engineering, said consumers in Europe and Japan fought back and now genetically-altered foods are labeled there. Wolfson said the genetically-altered crops have been rushed to market and benefit the companies that produce them and not consumers. He said if we find humans or the environment are adversely affected, it will be too late. "If one has a car with a defect they can withdraw that car and take it off the market. With a genetically engineered product you can't recall it," he said in an interview before his speech. "Even dog food in Europe can't have genetically engineered food in it. In North America they won't even allow us to label it." Novel foods approved Genetic engineering allows scientists to take DNA from one plant or animal and insert it into another plant or animal. Health Canada has approved 42 novel foods that use genetic engineering and an estimated 70 per cent of food in Canadian supermarkets contains genetically-altered ingredients from soy-based infant formula to many processed foods. Jane Roberge, a 65 year old Windsorite who was raised on a farm, said she didn't know until recently that she's likely eating genetically-engineered food. She wants it off the market. "Yes it does scare me because you don't know it's in your food." The forum's speakers offered a critical view of genetic engineering and followed Suzuki's call for a moratorium on genetically-altered foods because the long-term hazards are not known. But in the last few days other scientists and farmers have defended genetic engineering. Monday a group of Canadian scientists formed a national coalition to support biotechnology and genetically-engineered food. They said Canada has one of the finest regulatory systems in the world and called for an informed dialogue about biotechnology. Tuesday, the Consumers' Association of Canada, which doesn't support or oppose biotechnology, said Canadians needed accurate information more than food labeling. ....... Wednesday, November 10 Greenpeace challenges French green light for GM-modified maize LUXEMBOURG, Nov 9 (AFP) - The international environmental group Greenpeace went before the European Court of Justice on Tuesday in a bid to annul France's green light for the marketing of genetically engineered maize. The case marks the first time that the European Union's court is being asked to pass judgement on genetically modified foods. Greenpeace lawyers argued that a French decree in February 1998 authorizing Novartis, the Swiss chemicals group, to market so-called Bt-maize had been adopted in violation of an agreed principle of precaution. That principle requires the full evaluation of environmental and health risks prior to the marketing of genetically modified products. Advocate general Jean Mischo is to deliver his conclusions on November 25, with a decision from the court due before the middle of next year. ......... EU's top judges asked to rule on landmark GMO case BRUSSELS, Reuters [WS] via NewsEdge Corporation : The European Union's top judges were asked on Tuesday to rule whether France had the right to suspend authorisation of genetically modified (GM) crops. In a crucial test case for the future of biotechnology, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice heard evidence from eight different parties, with opponents of GMOs led by environmental group Greenpeace pitched against leading life sciences companies and the EU's executive Commission. The French Council of State had earlier asked the court to rule whether Paris was justified in freezing the approval of three strains of genetically modified (GM) maize developed by Switzerland's Novartis AG (NOVZn.S). Greenpeace and agricultural lobby Confederation Paysanne told the court that EU legislation on approving GMOs ``cannot be interpreted as being intended to deprive member states of all power of assessment when delivering written consent'' to give a new product the go-ahead, said a court report of the hearing. Novartis, the company at the centre of the controversy, argued that France had a legal obligation to allow the seed to be marketed, particularly as it was the country which originally sponsored the application through the EU's licensing procedure. It was supported by rival company Monsanto Co (MTC.N) and the Commission, the EU's executive, which argued that national authorities ``have the obligation to assure the execution of a favourable decision'' under the legislation. CASE COMES AT CRUCIAL TIME FOR GM CROPS The hearing came amid growing confusion about the future of GM crops in the 15 member EU. No new GMOs have been approved since April 1998 as consumer fears grow about the safety of foods derived from GM crops. The freeze on approvals has increased the likelihood of further trade friction between the EU and the United States, whose exports of bulk commodities to Europe have been limited. The Novartis maize was one of the first GM crops approved in Europe. The authorisation came in controversial circumstances and despite the opposition of a number of governments. France then blocked the seed from being planted on its own territory, even though it was the country which originally applied for a licence on behalf of Ciba-Geigy Ltd, the forerunner of Novartis. A court spokeswoman said that an advisory, non-binding ruling would be issued by an Advocate-General of the court in four to six weeks. A final judgment is likely to take between 17 and 22 months from when the case was originally submitted to the court, in January this year. If the court finds that France does have jurisdiction in the case, it will be returned to the Council of State in Paris to take a final decision on the complaint, Greenpeace said in a statement ...... EU'US green, consumer groups demand labels on biotech food WASHINGTON, Reuters [EB] via NewsEdge Corporation : A coalition of U.S. environmental and consumer groups will urge the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to tighten regulation of bioengineered foods and require labels on them, the groups said on Tuesday. The push for more federal scrutiny of genetically modified (GM) foods comes at a time when Clinton Administration officials are preparing to defend the safety and benefits of biotech crops in world trade talks at the end of the month. The European Union, Japan and Australia are among those balking at imports of U.S. bioengineered crops and food. Consumers Union, the Sierra Club, the Centre for Food Safety and several dozen other activist groups will ask the FDA on Friday to adopt stricter rules for companies testing GM foods. ** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed for research and educational purposes only. ** _________________________________________________________ Richard Wolfson, PhD Consumer Right to Know Campaign, for Mandatory Labelling and Long-term Testing of all Genetically Engineered Foods, 500 Wilbrod Street Ottawa, ON Canada K1N 6N2 tel. 613-565-8517 fax. 613-565-1596 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Our website, http://www.natural-law.ca/genetic contains more information on genetic engineering as well as previous genetic engineering news items. Subscription fee to genetic engineering news is $35 (USD for those outside Canada) for 12 months, payable to "BanGEF" and mailed to the above address. 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