From: Marcy J. Gordon [mgordon@pipeline.com]
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 10:46 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Don't Approve Existing Rules on Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods!

Dear FDA Worker,

I am writing to urge the FDA to reject the proposed rules on genetically engineered foods for the following reasons:

* The FDA must require mandatory pre-market comprehensive environmental
review. Unlike conventional pollutants, where a given amount of pollutant
causes a limited amount of damage, a small number of mutant genes could
have a population explosion and reproduce forever, causing unlimited and
irreparable damage.

* The FDA must require mandatory pre-market long-term health testing. GE
products could be toxic, cause allergic responses, have lower nutritional
value, and compromise immune responses in consumers.

* The FDA must require mandatory labeling of GE products. 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 would be deprived of the critical knowledge needed to hold food
producers liable should any of these novel products be hazardous.

* The FDA must end its cozy relationship with the industries it purports to
be regulating. People have been allowed to work for a biotech company, then
work for the FDA writing the regulatory rules on that company's product,
then go back to working for the company. Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory
committee meetings had at least one conflict of interest.

PLEASE RESTORE DEMOCRACY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

Very truly yours,

Marcy J. Gordon, Esq.