1.EU demands Monsanto's test results on controversial corn
2.Monsanto denies rat research reports on GM corn

It''s not just the EFSA who should see the full data. They should be published to allow independent scrutiny and Monsanto should stop blocking the publication of the review of their study by Dr Arpad Pusztai.
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1.EU demands Monsanto's test results on controversial corn
23 May 2005
Agence France Presse English [via Agnet]

ROME -- Italy's professor Giorgio Calabrese, a member of the European Union's food safety authority (EFSA), was cited as saying Monday in an interview with the Italian daily La Stampa that Monsanto has been asked to provide all its research results into a genetically modified corn that may be a health risk, adding, "Monsanto must immediately transmit to EFSA its entire research into (the corn strain) MON 863."

The story notes that Sunday's edition of English newspaper The Independent said that guinea pigs fed on the corn developed serious abnormalities, an internal scientific report at the US-based company found.

Kidney malformations and changes to blood indicating damage to the immune system were the most worrying aspects of the report.

The company is said to have given only partial results of its tests on MON 863 when first seeking backing for the strain from the EU.
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2.Monsanto denies rat research reports on GM corn
Agence France Presse, 24 May 2005
http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2005/05/24/afx2049419.html

ST LOUIS (AFX) - Monsanto Co discounted European reports that the company's internal research had found variations in the health of rats fed a genetically modified corn produced to protect against corn rootworm prior to European approval.

Monsanto reiterated that, contrary to published reports, it supplied all required information to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) prior to approval of MON 863 YieldGard(R) Rootworm corn.

''Published reports suggest that there is new information about MON 863 that has not been submitted to EU regulators. That is not the case,'' said Jerry Hjelle, vice president for Monsanto Worldwide Regulatory Affairs.

''Monsanto has provided all required data and studies, including the subject rat study, to European regulatory authorities, and EFSA reviewed these studies before issuing its opinion.''

Yesterday, the EFSA asked Monsanto to provide all its research results into the GM corn amid health risk concerns.

''Monsanto must immediately transmit to EFSA its entire research into (the corn strain) MON 863,'' said Italy's professor Giorgio Calabrese, an EFSA member in an interview with the Italian daily La Stampa.

Rats fed on the corn developed serious abnormalities, with kidney malformations and changes to blood indicating damage to the immune system, an internal scientific report at the US-based company found, according to Sunday's edition of English newspaper The Independent.

The company is said to have given only partial results of its tests on MON 863 when first seeking backing for the strain from the EU, said Calabrese.

''It seems the multinational gave its own conclusions to the scientists working on GMOs (genetically modified organisms) for the European Agency,'' he said.

''European researchers made their own tests and have found results that differ with those put forward by Monsanto'', he said.

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