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Biotech / Medical : Monsanto Co. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dan Spillane who wrote (1330)	2/23/1999 10:23:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

GM food: Royal Society attacks 'bad science' This is London February 23, 1999 by Mark Nicol and Peter Gruner The Royal Society, one of the world's most distinguished scientific bodies, today attacked "bad science" being used in the row over genetically modified foods. Nineteen of its most eminent members, including Nobel Laureate Dr Max Perutz and Astronomer Royal, Prof Sir Martin Rees, have spoken out against claims made by environmentalists and warned the Government and the public not to accept them at "face value". In a letter to a newspaper today, the group said: "Alleged scientific results that have not first been thoroughly scrutinised and exposed to the scientific community serve only to mislead with potentially damaging consequences." The Royal Society reacted angrily last week to news that its report, urging ministers to tighten regulations and analyse the long-term impact of GM crops, has been ignored by the Government for the last five months. The letter continued: "It is a dangerous mistake ... to assume that all statements claiming to be scientific can be taken at face value. "Good science is work that stood up to detailed scrutiny by independent workers in the field and contributes to new knowledge and understanding." The GM foods controversy was sparked when research into genetically modified potatoes by Dr Arpad Pusztai, a scientist based at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, was used by environmentalists. Dr Pusztai, who found that eating GM potatoes stunted the growth of rats, was subsequently forced out of his job and gagged. A spokesman for the Royal Society added: "We feel the findings were published irresponsibly without a great factual basis to back them up." * The majority of farmers questioned in a survey released today expressed fears about genetically modified crops. The questionnaire was completed by 220 delegates following a conference partly sponsored by the world's leading GM supplier Monsanto. The farmers also expressed fears about multi-nationals having too much power, inadequate research, and the threat to the countryside by accidental unleashing of GM plants. © Associated Newspapers Ltd., 23 February 1999 thisislondon.co.uk