back to Producing Safe Food
Scientific Endorsements
In addition to the role that U.S. regulatory bodies play in reviewing biotech crops, numerous scientific organizations around the world agree that biotech crops present no unique safety risks when compared to other crops. Here are samples of what leading scientific and health authorities say about agricultural biotechnology:
"To date, no adverse health effects attributed to genetic engineering have been documented in the human population."
"The American Medical Association recognizes the many potential benefits offered by genetically modified crops and foods, does not support a moratorium on planting genetically modified crops and encourages ongoing research developments in food biotechnology."
American Medical Association, Council on Scientific Affairs (2000)
"Biotechnology can overcome production constraints that are more difficult or intractable with conventional breeding. It can speed up conventional breeding programs and provide farmers with disease-free planting materials. It can create crops that resist pests and diseases, replacing toxic chemicals that harm the environment and human health, and it can provide diagnostic tools and vaccines that help control devastating animal diseases. It can improve the nutritional quality of staple foods such as rice and cassava and create new products for health and industrial uses."
"Current internationally agreed approaches to the safety assessment of GM food crops offer a high level of safety assurance for the consumer."
"Foods can be produced through the use of GM technology that are more nutritious, stable in storage, and in principle health promoting - bringing benefits to consumers in both industrialized and developing nations."
National Academy of Sciences, Transgenic Plants and World Agriculture (2000)
back to Producing Safe Food
