Scientists have defined health risks with both GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS, meaning the process of modification itself, and with glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup. Crops are genetically engineered to withstand heavy application of Roundup.

Similarly, scientists have questioned the safety of the bt toxin. The biotech industry has argued that the bt toxin is safe, since the natural version, long used as an insecticide by organic farmers, degrades in the sunlight, and is not consumed by humans or animals. But the GENETICALLY MODIFIED version is different, as it is infused into the genetic structure of the plant. It can neither be washed off, nor will it degrade in sunlight.

–The FDA has stated that food from GENETICALLY MODIFIED sources is not substantially different from conventionally grown foods. Yet numerous scientists, including many of the FDA’s own scientists, disagree. To date, neither the FDA, nor biotech companies has been required to perform substantial, long-term human or animal safety tests. But Monsanto has stated that “they should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food.” Their interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA’s job.” http://www.cspinet.org/new/genetics_fda.html

–The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has cited numerous animal studies, showing many health risks associated with genetically engineered food, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, changes in the gastrointestinal system, and many others. They recommend that doctors tell all of their patients to eat no genetically modified food. Many other scientists have stated concerns that GMOS and glyphosate may cause diabetes, organic damage, including kidney and liver, cancer and reproductive issues.

–The American Medical Association has called for mandatory testing, but this has never been required.

PEER REVIEWED STUDIES

–There are several important studies, connecting the GENETIC MODIFICATION process itself, glyphosate and the bt toxin with health issues. Many of these have indicated a relationship between various diseases and GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS, meaning the process of GENETIC MODIFICATION itself, and both glyphosate and the bt toxin.

SERALINI STUDY

–The Seralini study found problems with both the GENETIC MODIFICATION process and glyphosate. Giles Eric Seralini, a professor of molecular biology at the University of Caen, France, already had a long list of scientific publications to his credit, many of which raised serious questions about the safety to genetically engineered foods, before September 2012 when his paper “Long-term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize” appeared in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology.

In this study, for the first time, rats fed Roundup Ready corn were studied for two years in order to reveal long term problems. Industry studies normally last no longer than 90 days–a time insufficient to reveal certain long terms problems in the life of a rat. In this experiment, treated groups (those fed the GMO corn) died more rapidly than the controls. But most notably, and completely unexpectedly because this was a toxicology study, female rats developed remarkable mammary tumors.

The resulting firestorm began almost immediately with criticism from many sources, including the Chicago Tribune lead editorial headlined “Corny Scare Tactics” on September 29, 2012.

Despite these critics, Dr. Seralini’s study is of great importance because it is the only long term study on the commercialized GM maize NK603 and the pesticide (Roundup) with which this corn is designed to be grown. This study was, in fact, a direct follow-up of a previous study done by Monsanto using the same product.

Unlike independent researchers in the U.S. who are not allowed to use the same patented seeds that Monsanto uses in its own experiments, Dr. Seralini, working abroad, was able gain access to an identical product for his feeding study.

Industry studies on rats typically end at 90 days, the equivalent of 7-9 human years, and not enough to detect cancer and organ damage. But humans may eat these foods over a lifetime, and so Seralini’s study continued for TWO YEARS! Seralini and his team had earlier found evidence of liver and kidney toxicity in short term studies, but this was the first time such a long term study was carried out.

The variety of rat was the same as that used by Monsanto in such studies: the Sprague Dawley variety. The feed was the same: the GM NK603. And the same product, Roundup, was used rather than just one element of Roundup (glyphosate). In fact, just about everything Seralini did was designed to replicate Monsanto’s experiment–except for the length of time. http://gmoseralini.org

–Despite attacks by biotech spokespeople, the methodology of this study has been recently validated by the European Food Safety Authority. http://gmoseralini.org/seralini-validated-by-new-efsa-guidelines-on-long-term-gmo-experiments/

SHERBROOKE STUDY

–A 2011 peer reviewed study conducted at the University of Sherbrooke, Canada has detected the insecticidal protein (from the engineered bt toxin), Cry1Ab, circulating in the blood of pregnant as well as non-pregnant women. Biotech has argued that this protein is destroyed in the stomach, but the Canadian study indicates that the toxin does enter the blood, and is transferred to the fetus. The women had been consuming a typical Canadian diet, containing GENETICALLY MODIFIED foods. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/toxin-from-gm-crops-found-in-human-blood/1/137728.html

CARMAN STUDY

–In 2013 the Journal of Organic Systems published a study conducted by Australian and US researchers, comparing 84 pigs fed GENETICALLY MODIFIED feed with another 84 pigs fed conventional non-GENETICALLY MODIFIED feed. According to lead researcher, Judy Carman, the pigs eating the genetically modified diet showed severe stomach inflammation compared to the control group. Additionally their uteri weighed 25% more. See http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/06/11/evidence-of-gmo-harm-in-pig-study/#.UgbVqJG9KSM

SAMSEL/SENEFF STUDY

–Published in Entropy in 2013, a study by Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff focuses on the injurious effects of glyphosate on human health, mainly through disruption of gut bacteria, and inhibiting the absorption of the essential mineral, sulfur. According to Samsel, 160 fruit and vegetable crops are sprayed with glyphosate.

The authors have explained how glyphosate affects gut bacteria, and therefore leads to various diseases. “Glyphosate’s claimed mechanism of action in plants is the disruption of the shikimate pathway, which is involved with the synthesis of the essential aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The currently accepted dogma is that glyphosate is not harmful to humans or to any mammals because the shikimate pathway is absent in all animals.

However, this pathway is present in gut bacteria, which play an important and heretofore largely overlooked role in human physiology through an integrated biosemiotic relationship with the human host. In addition to aiding digestion, the gut microbiota synthesize vitamins, detoxify xenobiotics, and participate in immune system homeostasis and gastrointestinal tract permeability. Furthermore, dietary factors modulate the microbial composition of the gut.” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/14/glyphosate.aspx

–The following references to assimilated studies and information contain useful bars, graphs and other pictorial graphics, which help clarify the relationship between GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS and disease.

SWANSON STUDY AND GRAPHS

–Dr. Nancy L Swanson, retired professor from Western Washington University has published a paper on GENETICALLY MODIFIED foods, which first appeared as a series of articles in the Seattle Examiner. These articles cite the relationships between the introduction of GENETICALLY MODIFIED foods and various diseases, including autism, kidney disease, thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis and many more. http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/glyphosate/NancySwanson.pdf

ROSEMARY MASON STUDY

–Likewise, a very comprehensive discussion of GENETICALLY MODIFIED INGREDIENTS and glyphosate, published in 2013 by Dr. Rosemary Mason (South Wales), entitled “Glyphosate: Destructor of Human Health and Biodiversity,” contains similar correlations, extensive information, and useful graphics. http://gmoevidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Glyphosate-Destructor-of-Human-Health-and-Biodiversity.pdf

ALLERGIES

–Food allergies, especially to soy, are often associated with serious reactions, and are much more common now, especially in children. Many feel that soy allergies may correlate with the introduction of GENETICALLY MODIFIED soy, and may be caused by the creation of a novel protein, never before present in the food. http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/health-risks/articles-about-risks-by-jeffrey-smith/Genetically-Engineered-Foods-May-Cause-Rising-Food-Allergies-Genetically-Engineered-Soybeans-May-2007

AUTISM

–Since the introduction of GMOs into the environment around 1990, autism has grown epidemically. Stephanie Seneff, MIT researcher and co-author of the glyphosate correlate study in Entropy (see above) provides easy to read graphs, relating the rise in autism to the increase of glyphosate use in agriculture. http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/WAPF_Slides_2012/Offsite_Seneff_Handout.pdf

–Other studies indicate a correlation between the introduction of GMOs into the environment (and subsequent widespread use of glyphosate) with the increase of autism. Jeffrey Smith of IRT has stated that this phenomenon has to be attributable to environmental causes, since the evolution of the disease could not have taken place this quickly. http://www.responsibletechnology.org/autism