GM Foods Require Immediate Moratorium According to The American Academy of ...

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June 11, 2009

Genetically Modified Foods Require Immediate Moratorium According to The

American Academy Of Environmental Medicine

May 19, 2009 the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) released a

position paper on genetically modified food. In their most recent press

release, the AAEM reiterates " there is more than a casual association between GM

foods and adverse health effects " and that " GM foods pose a serious health risk

in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health,

and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health. "

This is an important topic for all humans and particularly those most vulnerable

to allergy, immune, and digestive assaults, such as children with autism.

The most common genetically modified foods to avoid and/or only eat organically

are: corn, soy, canola and cottonseed. This means avoiding anything made from

these " foods " including their oils.

The following is the AAEM’s paper:

Genetically Modified Foods

According to the World Health Organization, Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs)

are " organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in such a

way that does not occur naturally. " 1 This technology is also referred to as

" genetic engineering " , " biotechnology " or " recombinant DNA technology " and

consists of randomly inserting genetic fragments of DNA from one organism to

another, usually from a different species. For example, an artificial

combination of genes that includes a gene to produce the pesticide Cry1Ab

protein (commonly known as Bt toxin), originally found in Bacillus

thuringiensis, is inserted in to the DNA of corn randomly. Both the location of

the transferred gene sequence in the corn DNA and the consequences of the

insertion differ with each insertion. The plant cells that have taken up the

inserted gene are then grown in a lab using tissue culture and/or nutrient

medium that allows them to develop into plants that are used to grow GM food

crops.2

Natural breeding processes have been safely utilized for the past several

thousand years. In contrast, " GE crop technology abrogates natural reproductive

processes, selection occurs at the single cell level, the procedure is highly

mutagenic and routinely breeches genera barriers, and the technique has only

been used commercially for 10 years. " 3

Despite these differences, safety assessment of GM foods has been based on the

idea of " substantial equivalence " such that " if a new food is found to be

substantially equivalent in composition and nutritional characteristics to an

existing food, it can be regarded as safe as the conventional food. " 4 However,

several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food

consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging,

dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin

regulation, cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver,

kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system.

There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health

effects. There is causation as defined by Hill's Criteria in the areas of

strength of association, consistency, specificity, biological gradient, and

biological plausibility.5 The strength of association and consistency between GM

foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.2,6,7,8,9,10,11

Specificity of the association of GM foods and specific disease processes is

also supported. Multiple animal studies show significant immune dysregulation,

including upregulation of cytokines associated with asthma, allergy, and

inflammation. 6,11 Animal studies also show altered structure and function of

the liver, including altered lipid and carbohydrate metabolism as well as

cellular changes that could lead to accelerated aging and possibly lead to the

accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). 7,8,10 Changes in the kidney,

pancreas and spleen have also been documented. 6,8,10 A recent 2008 study links

GM corn with infertility, showing a significant decrease in offspring over time

and significantly lower litter weight in mice fed GM corn.8 This study also

found that over 400 genes were found to be expressed differently in the mice fed

GM corn. These are genes known to control protein synthesis and modification,

cell signaling, cholesterol synthesis, and insulin regulation. Studies also show

intestinal damage in animals fed GM foods, including proliferative cell growth9

and disruption of the intestinal immune system.6

Regarding biological gradient, one study, done by Kroghsbo, et al., has shown

that rats fed transgenic Bt rice trended to a dose related response for Bt

specific IgA. 11

Also, because of the mounting data, it is biologically plausible for Genetically

Modified Foods to cause adverse health effects in humans.

In spite of this risk, the biotechnology industry claims that GM foods can feed

the world through production of higher crop yields. However, a recent report by

the Union of Concerned Scientists reviewed 12 academic studies and indicates

otherwise: " The several thousand field trials over the last 20 years for genes

aimed at increasing operational or intrinsic yield (of crops) indicate a

significant undertaking. Yet none of these field trials have resulted in

increased yield in commercialized major food/feed crops, with the exception of

Bt corn. " 12 However, it was further stated that this increase is largely due to

traditional breeding improvements.

Therefore, because GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of

toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic,

physiologic and genetic health and are without benefit, the AAEM believes that

it is imperative to adopt the precautionary principle, which is one of the main

regulatory tools of the European Union environmental and health policy and

serves as a foundation for several international agreements.13 The most commonly

used definition is from the 1992 Rio Declaration that states: " In order to

protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by

States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or

irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a

reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental

degradation. " 13

Another often used definition originated from an environmental meeting in the

United States in 1998 stating: " When an activity raises threats to the

environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken, even if

some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In

this context, the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear

the burden of proof (of the safety of the activity). " 13

With the precautionary principle in mind, because GM foods have not been

properly tested for human consumption, and because there is ample evidence of

probable harm, the AAEM asks:

Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to

avoid GM foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM

foods and health risks.

Physicians to consider the possible role of GM foods in the disease processes of

the patients they treat and to document any changes in patient health when

changing from GM food to non-GM food.

Our members, the medical community, and the independent scientific community to

gather case studies potentially related to GM food consumption and health

effects, begin epidemiological research to investigate the role of GM foods on

human health, and conduct safe methods of determining the effect of GM foods on

human health.

For a moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term independent

safety testing, and labeling of GM foods, which is necessary for the health and

safety of consumers.

(This statement was reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee of the

American Academy of Environmental Medicine on May 8, 2009.)

Submitted by Amy Dean, D.O. and Armstrong, M.D.

Bibliography: Genetically Modified Foods Position Paper AAEM

1. World Health Organization. (Internet).(2002). Foods derived from modern

technology: 20 questions on genetically modified foods. Available from:

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/index.html

2. , JM. Genetic Roulette. Fairfield: Yes Books.2007. p.10

3. Freese W, Schubert D. Safety testing and regulation of genetically

engineered foods. Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews. Nov 2004. 21.

4. Society of Toxicology. The safety of genetically modified foods produced

through biotechnology. Toxicol. Sci. 2003; 71:2-8.

5. Hill, AB. The environment and disease: association or causation?

Proceeding of the Royal Society of Medicine 1965; 58:295-300.

6. Finamore A, Roselli M, Britti S, et al. Intestinal and peripheral immune

response to MON 810 maize ingestion in weaning and old mice. J Agric. Food Chem.

2008; 56(23):11533-11539.

7. Malatesta M, Boraldi F, Annovi G, et al. A long-term study on female mice

fed on a genetically modified soybean:effects on liver ageing. Histochem Cell

Biol. 2008; 130:967-977.

8. Velimirov A, Binter C, Zentek J. Biological effects of transgenic maize

NK603xMON810 fed in long term reproduction studies in mice. Report-Federal

Ministry of Health, Family and Youth. 2008.

9. Ewen S, Pustzai A. Effects of diets containing genetically modified

potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small intestine.Lancet.

354:1353-1354.

10. Kilic A, Aday M. A three generational study with genetically modified Bt

corn in rats: biochemical and histopathological investigation. Food Chem.

Toxicol. 2008; 46(3):1164-1170.

11. Kroghsbo S, Madsen C, Poulsen M, et al. Immunotoxicological studies of

genetically modified rice expression PHA-E lectin or Bt toxin in Wistar rats.

Toxicology. 2008; 245:24-34.

12. Gurain-Sherman,D. 2009. Failure to yield: evaluating the performance of

genetically engineered crops. Cambridge (MA): Union of Concerned Scientists.

13. Lofstedt R. The precautionary principle: risk, regulation and politics.

Merton College, Oxford. 2002.

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