(Summary)
Hector Valenzuela, Professor and Crop Specialist at the University of Hawaii at Monoa, writes that scientists and other experts who have testified or participated in public forums in support of genetically modified crops may have undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Over the past year in Hawaii, County Council bills were drafted in response to community concerns about the planting of experimental genetically modified (GM) crops and their inherent pesticide use around the islands. In response, the agrochemical industry brought a number of ‘hired guns‘ from out-of-state to paint a rosier picture of the GMO Industry. Local academics also joined the bandwagon claiming a consensus about the safety of pesticides and GM crops on the islands.In most cases the “hired guns” and the UH professors portrayed their positions as independent scientists. Thus, to the casual observer these “GMO experts” were providing an impartial perspective about the safety of GMOs.
Valenzuela also reiterated his belief there were substantial ecological dangers from GM crops. To document the evidence of risk he provided a summary reports that provide a) a list of refereed publications that have documented adverse health effects from GM crops on several body organs, based on animal studies; and b) a list of refereed publications that have documented adverse health effects on humans, from the exposure to pesticides which are applied to grow GM crops.
Read the full, original story here: “Conflicts of Interest Confound the Negative Views of Hawaii GMO Bills”
Additional Resources:
- “The science behind Bill 113,” Huffington Post
