In areas of southeast Asia and Africa, vitamin A deficiency is common and can cause blindness. The World Health Organization estimates that 250 million children worldwide are vitamin A deficient, causing 250,000 to 500,000 children to become blind. Vitamin A is also important for immune system functioning and deficiencies can also lead to fatalities from bacterial or viral diseases.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been field testing Golden Rice in the Phillipines, intending for it to be one solution to vitamin A deficiency in developing areas. Harmon reports that protestors vandalized a field site there on August 8th.
This case exemplifies New York Times’ Amy Harmon’s investigation of the issues underlying the current dissent over foods containing gene modifications.
Read the full, original story here: “Is It Time For Scientist Activism Against GMO Fear-Mongering?”
