GMO Labeling Supported by Medical Doctors

The following reveals the very succinct assessment of wise and well informed medical professionals who support the labeling of genetically modified (engineered) food. Many of us signed this GMO labeling support petition.

“As a medical professional, I support the passage of the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act of 2012.1 It will require the labeling of food products that contain genetically engineered (GE) ingredients.

I believe genetically engineered foods pose a plausible health risk while providing very little benefit, if any. Contrary to what the biotechnology companies responsible for genetic engineering tell us, there are very real risks with this new technology.

Unlike other consumer products and foods, detailed information about the safety of GE foods is not readily available to the public, researchers, universities or even regulators. Most of the research on GE foods is conducted and owned by biotechnology companies, and what little they share consistently claims this infant science is safe. Independent data on the safety of GE food is scarce, even though this genetically altered food appears on millions of dinner plates daily. This lack of peer-reviewed science about GE food is due to the legal barriers biotechnology companies impose on the scientific community.

Thankfully, some researchers have been able to independently study GE foods, often times at great risk to their careers, and frequently under threat of legal action by biotech companies. Their results are alarming. Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GE food consumption– including infertility, immune system dysregulation; accelerated aging; dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and protein formation; and changes in the liver, kidney, and spleen and the gastrointestinal system. Because of the mounting data, it is biologically plausible for genetically engineered foods to cause adverse health effects in humans.

In a recent study, traces of the genetically modified Bt toxin, an insecticide that is implanted in corn and other crops to ward off crop pests, were found in the blood of 93% of pregnant mothers. The toxin was also found in 80% of umbilical cord blood.

The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act is simple: the initiative would require food sold in retail outlets (though not including restaurants) to be labeled if the food was produced using genetic engineering.

FDA requires the labeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives, and processes because information empowers consumers to make informed choices. We believe consumers have a fundamental right to know what’s in the food they eat and feed their children–including whether or not that food contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs).”

Blessings,

Dr. Jo