Six French Science Academies Dismiss Study Finding GM Corn Harmed Rats
There certainly are some issues around GM crops (mostly regarding patents, controlling them, and the zealotry of Monsanto in protecting their GM patents, but tumor rumors are definitely anti-scientific agit prop. My wager is that the anti GM crops crowd will continue to tout the highly debunked study.
An intensively promoted and controversial French study claiming to find high tumor rates and early mortality in rats fed genetically modified corn and ‘safe’ levels of the herbicide Roundup has been dismissed in a rare joint statement from France’s six scientific academies. Here’s a link to the statement (in French). [*Here’s an English translation.] Here’s an excerpt from coverage of the academies’ statement by Agence France-Presse:
‘This work does not enable any reliable conclusion to be drawn,’ they said, adding bluntly that the affair helped ‘spread fear among the public.’ The joint statement—an extremely rare event in French science—was signed by the national academies of agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, sciences, technology and veterinary studies. It was sparked by research published in September that said rats fed with so-called NK603 corn and/or doses of Roundup herbicide developed tumors….
Two fast-track official investigations into the study, ordered by the government, are due to be unveiled on Monday.