From: kdoubet2@hotmail.com Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 5:01 PM To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov Subject: Oppose FDA's New Regulations on Genetically Engineered Food kristin doubet 701 meyer lane p redondo beach, CA 90277 kdoubet2@hotmail.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. Cancer is not something that fell out of the sky. It is something we created by what we do. It is all inter-connected whether you think so or not. What you THINK does not stop the natural laws. The commercial of the sixties hit the nail on the head when it said its not nice to fool mother nature. 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. What are you thinking putting yours and everyone else's health in danger and then turning around and spending billions on health care? Make a real differnce, don't fool yourself. Sincerely, Kristin Doubet kristin doubet