From: Center for Food Safety [action@foodsafetynow.org]
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 9:29 PM
To: FDA Commissioner
Cc: president@whitehouse.gov; vice.president@whitehouse.gov;
fdadockets@oc.fda.gov; fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Oppose the New FDA Regulations on GE Foods!

FDA Commissioner 
Dockets Management Branch (HFA 305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fisher's Lane, rm. 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

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

Dear FDA,
 
Certainly, I understand the need for FDA regulations, and appreciate the 
 diligent efforts of this organization.  

However, I am outraged and dismayed 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 underestimates the intelligence of 
consumers, and irresponsibly ignores strong scientific evidence of 
numerous potential health and environmental risks to GE foods. Aren't you 
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 believe your new “voluntary labeling” policy denies consumers a basic 
right to know and fuels the perception of your agency as a "big brother" 
establishment subject to the influence of unduly influential entities who 
stand to gain from your decision.

Without mandatory labeling, neither consumers nor health professionals 
will know whether an allergic or toxic reaction resulted from a 
genetically engineered food.

By these new regulations, I would certainly feel deprived of the critical 
knowledge I need to make choices in my purchasing

In summary, 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 the concerns I have 
voiced into serious consideration.


Sincerely,



Lydia Straus-Edwards, AIA, NCARB
Principal
STRAUS-EDWARDS ASSOCIATES, ARCHITECTS




Lydia Straus-Edwards
331 Main Street South; POB 846
Woodbury, CT, 06798

CC: 
The President
Vice President Dick Cheney
FDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00N-1396]
Senator Christopher J. Dodd
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman
Representative Nancy L. JohnsonFDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00D-1598]


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