GMF, GE & cloning related topics

• Stem cell research is a women's issue - WHW June 2006
• Silent epidemics strike at heart of women's health - WHU Jan 2004
• GE-free food - what the label tells you - WHW June 2002
• Cloning may cause health defects - WHW July 1999
• Moratorium on genetic engineering called for - WHW April 1999
• Cancer link to biotech cow hormone - WHW June 1998

Why stem cell research is a women's issue

June 2006 Women's Health Watch

Genetic technology is presented as the new miracle cure, a way to eradicate disease and prolong life, a technology with the ability to control the creation of life itself. Research and use of genetic technology continues to expand world wide including the use in biotechnology, genetic engineering and genetically modified food. Kristen Berger, Women's Health Action policy analyst, explores some of the wider issues around gene technology and explores some of the issues raised for women in embryonic stem cell research....Read More

Silent epidemics strike at heart of women's health

January 2004 Women's Health Update

Evidence is growing that New Zealand's relatively high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) namely dioxins, PCBs, DDT, 24-D, DES, delivered to us via fuel emissions, incineration, household products, pesticides, cosmetics, glues, chemical sunscreens, plastic food containers and so on, are linked to endometriosis, breast and uterine cancers, heart disease, migraine, severe PMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibrocystic breast disease, fibroids and infertility....Read More

GE-free food ? - what the label tells you

June 2002 Women's Health Watch

New Zealand's food labelling laws are changing. Sue Kedgeley looks at the implications for consumers wishing to choose GE-food.

Many consumers are confused about whether or not there are genetically engineered ingredients in our food. Consumers wanting to avoid GE food because of concerns about food safety, environmental impacts, religious or ethical beliefs, wander the supermarket looking for labels declaring the presence of GE ingredients in food. But the labels are almost impossible to find - in fact, Greenpeace announced earlier this month that they could find only one labelled product on supermarket shelves, bulk bacon bits made out of TVP (textured vegetable protein).
Does this mean there are no other GE ingredients in New Zealand food? Alas, it does not. Despite the Government's pre-election promise to introduce a labelling scheme that would require ALL food derived from genetic engineering to be labelled, the labelling laws agreed to last year exempt so many categories of food that only a fraction of the foods containing GE ingredients need to be labelled....Read More

Cloning may cause health defects

July 1999 Women's Health Watch

A French study suggests cloning may cause long-term health defects. Re-search published in The Lancet sug-gests the cloning process may inter-fere with the normal genetic function-ing of developing animals. The Lan-cet report follows the death of a two-month-old calf, cloned from genes taken from the ear of an adult cow. The study is likely to lend weight to warnings that any attempt to clone humans might carry considerable health risks.
Ref: BMJ 1999; 318:1230

Moratorium on genetic engineering called for

April 1999 Women's Health Watch

A group of scientists from 13 countries has supported calls for a moratorium on the release of genetically modified foods after endorsing unpublished research that has raised fears of potential health hazards.

A major row has broken out in the scientific community after the 22 scientists came out in support of controversial research which found evidence of immune system changes and organ damage in rats fed on genetically modified potatoes.

The research was carried out by Dr Arpad Pusztai at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen. Dr Pusztai was suspended from his post last year after presenting details of his unpublished findings in a television documentary. A review of his work by the Rowett Research Institute concluded the data did not support Dr Pusztai's claims. However the 22 scientists who have also studied Dr Pusztai's data say they have confirmed the accuracy of his findings.

'The findings are absolutely correct', according to Professor Mihaly Sajgo, a biochemist at Hungary's Godollo University of Agriculture. The scientists urge a cautious approach to genetically modified food should be taken until more is known about their effects. The Rowett Research Institute has responded to the scientists' intervention by accusing them of making several misleading claims and calling on Dr Pusztai to submit his work to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
Ref: BMJ 1999; 318: 483

Cancer link to biotech cow hormone

June 1998 Women's Health Watch

Camille Guy reports on a possible link between breast cancer and milk from hormone-boosted cows

It is a food adulteration double whammy - much of the US milk supply is drawn from cows injected with a hormone to boost milk production, and that growth hormone is genetically engineered. Restrictions on labelling mean that consumers are unable to tell which milk or dairy products are from treated cows.

So far New Zealanders can breathe easy. Our Dairy Board steered clear of engineered bovine growth hormone (Monsanto's rBGH or bST), because of 'consumer concerns about the product.' The product is also ruled out in the European Union until 1999 and is still not legal in Canada.

Given recent findings on the link between human growth hormone and cancer, we have reason to be grateful for what are patronisingly called 'consumer concerns'.The public may be scientifically naive, but in this case it seems that our wariness was wise. But if Monsanto does succeed in having BST marketed here, and if our government persists with its recent decision not to require labelling of most engineered foodstuffs (on the grounds they are 'substantially equivalent' to unmodified foods) then New Zealanders too may end up gulping milk and eating yoghurt that may raise the risk of cancer....Read More