GMOs and Public Health Concerns: Learning from the Past, Addressing the Present, Protecting the Future

1. GMOs and Public Health Concerns Dr. Mira Shiva M.D. Coordinator: Initiative for Health, Equity and Society Third World Network Member: Central Council of Health & Family Welfare(GOI) Chairperson: Consumer Education Task Force on Safety of Food& Medicine (2004-2008) Member Health Committee: National Human Rights Commission Founder Member People’s Health Movement ANNAM – National Food and Agro-biodiversity Festival National Seminar Series, Thiruvananthapuram 28-30 December 2008 Address: Initiative for Health, Equity & Society A-60 HausKhas, New Delhi 110016 E-mail: mirashiva@gmail.com

2. Acknowledgements Discussions, writings, & presentations Dr. Irina Ermakova, Russian Academy of Science Dr. Mae Wan Ho, Institute of Science in Society Dr. John Fagan Dr. Jeffrey M Smith, Author, Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roullete And other sources

3. GMOs Public Health Concerns The issue of GMOs has several dimensions

4. Learning's from the past Denial of Health Hazards by

5. Time Magazine, circa 1947

6. What Science Learned Later: • Damaging Effects of DDT and Other Pesticides

7. IGNORANCE OF HEALTH HAZARDS BY MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION & PROMOTERS OF GM – the corporations in seeds & pesticides

8. CASE: Information sought on Biosafety studies on Bt Brinjal– by Greenpeace Under RTI – Right to Information Act Refusal to give information – stating violation of TRIPS by Mayhco Monsanto MAYHCO subsidiary of Monsanto

9. RECENT CONCERNS • No Responsibility of monitoring of adverse effects eg. Death of animals grazing on BtCotton fields, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa • No Medical Training on Health Hazards of GMOs which is totally absent presently • “The Eyes do not see what the mind does not know” • No consumer awareness and No Responsibility of Consumer Awareness about Food Safety Bio Safety • Genetically Modified food grains, Genetically modified vegetable, fruits, medicinal plants

10. GMO and Health Impact Deaths of animals eg. feeding BtCotton Increased Mortality Reproductive Health Implications Congenital Malformation Infertility Poor Growth of progeny off spring Tumorogenicity Allergenicity Antibiotic Resistance due to use of antibiotic maker genes Mutation due to Horizontal gene transfer Genetic Pollution GM Effect are unpredictable & irreversible

12. Rat pup with the tumor, whose mother was fed by GM-soy(RR, line 40.3.2)

13. Transgenic potatoes

14. 19-days old pups Big (normal) pup – from Control group Small pup – from GM-soy group BBig

15. Nobody repeated these simple experiments during three years NAVDANYA, 2008

16. Transgene Normal Cell Transgenic Cell Transgenic Plant

17. Loss of biodiversity, • Reduction of soil fertility, • Loss of species important environmentally or agriculturally, • Increased use of toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic agricultural • chemicals, leading to pollution of water, air, and soil, • increased incidence of cancer, birth defects, and other diseases, • Creation of new plant diseases, pests, and weed varieties, • Disruption of the food chain. • Result: Long term harm to the environment, the economy, • and food security. Environmental Hazards

19. Fifty years ago they were writing policies for asbestos without a care in the world. Now they are faced with bills of hundreds of millions. There is a feeling that GM could come back and bite you in 5 years time”. – quotes from Insurance spokes people

20. Action Required • Based on CBD’s Biosafety Protocol Using Precautionary principle – Moratorium on GM crops and Foods till 5 years till appropriate Bio safety studies – no market entry if safety doubtful • Stoppage of victimization and harassment of Independent Researchers expressing Bio safety & Public Health Concerns • Ensure Mechanism is in place for fixing liability • Corporations – alleging safety on basis of partial biased studies • Research Institutes alleging safety without adequate bio safety studies • Regulators certifying products as safe without verifying safety

21. Transparency in Bio safety Protocols • Medical Education on importance of food safety, bio safety, nutritional security and diversity • Consumer Education Awareness and Public Debaters, • Public Advocacy on Right to Safe, Nutritive Food • Rich in diversity, recognizing the nutritive, and therapeutic value of foods part of rich Indian Food and Health Culture and Heritage

23. Regulatory:Mandatory Labeling Regulations 55+ Nations Around World • EU (27 countries) • Australia • Bolivia • Brazil • Cameroon • Chile • China • Costa Rica • Croatia • Ecuador • India • Indonesia • Japan • Mali • Mauritius • Mexico • New Zealand • Norway • Philippines • Russia • Saudi Arabia • Serbia • South Africa • South Korea • Switzerland • Taiwan • Thailand • Vietnam

25. Recommended Reading • TWN publications on Biosafety • Science in Society – Genetic Engineering Dreamor Nightmare – www.i-sis.org.uk • Navdanya – Citizens vote for GMO Free Food • Monsanto the Gene Giant – www.navdanya.org • Green Peace – Genetic Gamble • Jeffrey Smith – Genetic Roulette (The documented • Health risks of Genetically Engineered Foods) • Dr. Shiv Chopra – Corrupt to the Core