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Results of FDA Tests Inconclusive
Health Risk of StarLink Corn Still Unknown
Coalition continues to demand
a full investigation of StarLink allergenicity
Washington, DC -Results released today of Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) tests on a handful of individuals with suspected allergic reactions
to StarLink corn do not provide a scientifically sound answer to the
question of whether StarLink's Cry9C protein is a human allergen. In the
wake of these inconclusive tests, the Genetically Engineered Food Alert
coalition promised to continue pressing FDA and the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) to convene a full and thorough investigation of the public
health risk StarLink corn may pose to consumers.
"Test results from such a small sample could easily have missed
allergic
reactions," said Bill Freese of Friends of the Earth. "The EPA's
scientific
advisors specifically said that the investigation should be broadened,
yet
FDA chose to ignore that advice. A thorough investigation is exactly what
the public deserves."
"There is no way a credible scientist could rule out Cry9C as a
potential
human allergen," said Dr. Rebecca Goldburg, Senior Scientist at the
Environmental Defense. "I'm especially concerned about the risk to
children, who are much more vulnerable to allergies than adults. The FDA's
investigation should have included more children."
Despite the Scientific Advisory Panel's (SAP) recommendation to widen
the scope of the investigation, FDA chose to ignore hundreds of consumers
who reported allergic reactions to corn products that may contain StarLink.
These reports were unearthed from FDA and EPA documents obtained by
Genetically Engineered Food Alert. In one report, 210 consumers blamed
corn for allergic reactions, 74 visited doctors, while 20 more had to
seek
emergency care.
"It would be unacceptable to approve StarLink for human consumption
when
the science is clearly incomplete," said Matt Rand, Biotechnology
Campaign Manager at the National Environmental Trust. "The American
public deserves a full and thorough testing of StarLink corn so they do
not become the guinea pigs for a dangerous experiment on food allergens."
Other suggestions that the Scientific Advisory Panel made and the FDA
ignored include: 1.According to the SAP's allergy experts, young children
are at the greatest risk of developing allergies to novel genetically
engineered proteins such as Cry9C.. Yet FDA seems to have tested only
one child.
The SAP recommended that the medical community should be informed of
the investigation into the allergenicity of Cry9C in corn products. In
addition, FDA should monitor reports from the medical community to
supplement the cases currently under investigation and to provide
additional support for proving or refuting the allergenicity of Cry9C.
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Genetically Engineered Food Alert founding members include: Center for
Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, Institute for Agriculture and Trade
Policy,
National Environmental Trust, Organic Consumers Association, Pesticide
Action Network North America, and the State Public Interest Research Groups.
Genetically Engineered Food Alert supports the removal of genetically
engineered ingredients from grocery store shelves unless they are
adequately safety tested and labeled. The campaign is endorsed by more
than 200 scientists, religious leaders, doctors, chefs, environmental
and health leaders, as well as farm groups.
Contact:
Amanda Gordon, NET, 202-887-8831/202-907-5704 (cell)
Mark Helm, FoE, 202-783-7400/202-270-3650 (cell)
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