http://www.foe.org/new/releases/1102biopharm1.html
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2002
Contacts:
Mark Helm, 202.783.7400 x102
Matt Rand, 202-887-8841
Biopharmaceutical Contamination Could Be: Aids Vaccine or Blood Thickener
Coalition to File Legal Petition Demanding Immediate Halt of Experimental
Biopharmaceuticals Grown on Farms
Government Concealing Information, Coalition Files
Freedom of Information Act to Access Government Documents
Washington—Today, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed a second
incident of contamination of a food crop by an experimental genetically
engineered crop, engineered to contain a pharmaceutical or industrial chemical,
in Iowa. This follows yesterday’s announcement that 500,000 bushels of soybeans
in Nebraska destined for human consumption have also been quarantined due to
biocontamination by a similar crop.
The USDA has refused to reveal what chemical or drug was grown in either crop,
but research into the company that produces the biopharmaceutical crops,
ProdiGene, reveals that the contaminates could be one of the following:
· Aids vaccine –gp120 a glycoprotein
· Blood-clotting agent—Aprotinin
· Digestive enzyme—Trypsin
·
Industrial adhesive—Laccase, an enzyme derived from a fungus
Other biopharm crops reportedly grown by ProdiGene include experimental oral
vaccines for hepatitis B and for a pig disease, transmissible gastroenteritis.
According to USDA records ProdiGene has received 85 test permits for
experimental open-air trials of genetically engineered biopharmaceutical and
chemical crops for planting in at least 96 locations.
More
information on ProdiGene.
“With this latest contamination the government should halt all experimental
genetically engineered crops grown on farms,” said Matt Rand, biotechnology
campaign manager for the National Environmental Trust. “If the government
continues to develop policies for the biotech industry instead of for the safety
of the U.S. food supply it is just a matter of time before one of these
experimental crops ends up on our dinner plates.”.
Today,the GEFoodAlert coalition announced its intention to file a legal petition
to the USDA calling for the immediate halt to all biopharms. Additionally with
the US government not revealing pertinent information on the contamination
incidents, the Center for Food Safety, a member of the coalition, filed a
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) petition to access all government documents on
ProdiGene. A similar FOIA was submitted by Friends of the Earth in April 2001and
the USDA declined to provide permit information.
Last week members of GEFoodAlert coalition met with the USDA regarding the
open-air farm testing of biopharmaceuticals and asked the USDA if contamination
testing was taking place. The USDA flatly denied that any contamination testing
was being performed.
“The government clearly knew about this contamination weeks ago and chose not to
reveal the information to the public, but instead worked behind closed doors
with the industry to try to cover this up,” said Joseph Mendelson, legal
director at the Center for Food Safety.
For a
comprehensive report on biopharm, see
www.gefoodalert.org .
The
GEFoodAlert is a coalition of health, consumer and environmental groups that
supports the removal of genetically engineered ingredients from grocery store
shelves unless they are adequately safety tested and labeled.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.