From: RobinZD@algorithms.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 12:19 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Oppose FDA's New Regulations on Genetically Engineered Food

Robin DeWeese

  
RobinZD@algorithms.com


RE: Docket No. 00N-1396, and 00D-1598

Dear FDA,
 
I am outraged by your new policies on genetically engineered (GE) foods. Despite overwhelming consumer demand, your agency still fails to require safety testing and mandatory labeling for GE foods. Your "notification" policy is an insult to consumers, and irresponsibly ignores strong scientific evidence of numerous potential health and environmental risks to GE foods. You should be aware that these foods could be toxic, could cause allergic responses, could have lower nutrition value, could compromise immune responses in consumers, and could cause irreparable damage to the environment. 

I am also greatly opposed to your new "voluntary labeling" policy, which denies consumers a basic right to know. Without mandatory labeling, neither consumers nor health professionals will know if an allergic or toxic reaction was the result of a genetically engineered food. Consumers will also be deprived of the critical knowledge they need to hold food producers liable should any of these novel foods prove hazardous.

Your proposed rules ignore serious concerns, and appear to be a decision made to convenience industry at the expense of public health and the environment. I will not accept your attempt to make me a guinea pig of these untested foods, and I trust you will take my concern along with the thousands of others into serious consideration.

Your purpose for being there is to protect the public from harmful foods, however a great disservice is committed without reason, perhaps someone is taking a bribe? How can you claim to be protecting the public? This is insanity.

Alot like allowing irradiated produce to wear the organic label, inspite of the massive protest from the organic farmers themselves.
 
It also reminds me of the nutra sweet fiasco. Your agency refused to accept negative findings on that chemical, so you went through scientists till you could find ones that would create the findings needed to pass the chemical off as safe.
The formaldihyde in nutra sweet is not safe but rather has a cummulative effect that could end in blindness. I was horrified to read that the FDA refuses to accept any more negative scientific evidence on nutra sweet.
It makes me curious that perhaps someone high up in the FDA is taking bribes from the highest bidders?
 
Sincerely Upset,
Robin DeWeese



Robin DeWeese