Despite an international study, a consumer organisation was unsuccessful in requesting a review of the commercial release of GM maize.
NOTE: The Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection (IDEC) joined with other consumer bodies to ask the GMO regulator CTNBio to suspend the cultivation and commercial release of Monsanto's GM maize NK603. The organisations were concerned about the risks to human health in light of the study by Gilles-Eric Seralini (2012), which showed the maize, and tiny amounts of Roundup herbicide, damaged the health of rats.
CTNBio, which has strong ties to the biotech industry, rejected this call, as well as a report by 15 current and former scientist members of CTNBio in support of Seralini's study:
http://gmwatch.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14852
A lawyer for IDEC says CTNBio's decision violates the Brazilian Constitution.
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CTNBio ignores data against Monsanto's GMO maize
Despite an international study, the FNECDC was unsuccessful in requesting a review of the commercial release of the product in the country
IDEC (Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection), 19 April 2013
http://www.idec.org.br/em-acao/em-foco/ctnbio-ignora-dados-contra-o-milho-transgenico-da-monsanto (original article in Portuguese)
(Slightly edited Google translation by GMWatch)
CTNBio (National Technical Commission on Biosafety) decided to confirm last Thursday (18/4) the release of GM maize NK603, considered carcinogenic by a study by French scientists. The committee discussed three points regarding the controversial GM maize from Monsanto.
After learning of the studies conducted by the team led by Frenchman Gilles-Eric Séralini of the University of Caen (France), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested a position on the release of the maize, which was authorised by CTNBio. The president of the Commission, Flávio Finardi, issued an opinion discrediting the French study and now CTNBio in a split vote, approved the opinion of the president.
In the understanding that maize NK603 poses risks to human health, the FNECDC (National Forum of Civil Entities for Consumer Protection) filed a request with CTNBio for a reevaluation by CTNBio to suspend the planting and commercial release of the GM corn, produced by Monsanto. The commission, against the interests of consumers in Brazil, did not approve the request made by FNECDC.
"CTNBio missed a good opportunity to adopt a precautionary approach in the face of scientific uncertainty about NK603 maize," says attorney for IDEC (Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection), Flávio Siqueira Jr. "The decision of CTNBio is even contrary to article 225 of the Federal Constitution, which states that in situations where there are serious or irreversible threats to health and the environment, you should avoid such threats, even if there is still no definitive proof of harm. It's called the Precautionary Principle, and has been adopted throughout the world on issues relating to human health and the environment," he adds.
At the meeting in Brasilia, CTNBio did not approve, by a majority vote, the opinion presented by 14 members and former members of the committee in support of the French studies. This opinion considered that the studies necessitated the suspension of the cultivation and commercial release of maize NK603.
According to the lawyer, there is no scientific consensus on the risks of GM foods. However, given that studies have shown some dangers, we must be careful. "As the authorities are not giving due attention to the subject, it is for consumers to evaluate whether to take such risks. To do this we must make clear on the packaging the information that the product contains GMOs. Only then will the basic consumer rights defined in article 6 of the Code of Consumer Protection be upheld," he concludes.
Explanation
According to the study by Professor Séralini, published Sept. 19 in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, mice fed with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) died earlier and suffered from cancer more often than others. In the study, 200 rats were fed for a maximum period of two years in three different ways: (1) only GM maize NK603, (2) with the same corn with application of Roundup (the most commonly used herbicide in the world), and (3) with genetically modified corn not treated with Roundup.
In October 2012, IDEC signed with other entities an emergency resolution calling for the suspension of the commercial release of transgenic maize NK603 in Brazil after the publication of the first long-term study on the effects of the product on the body.
Campaign
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