In their crusade against PBR-Cowpea, anti-GM activists cite articles written by Vendomes et al. (2009)… and an article published by Finamore et al. (2008) about the health hazard of the Cry 1Ab protein [found in PBR cowpeas]. According to these articles, Cry 1Ab causes cancer and damages kidneys, alters the immune response, etc.
In 2010, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) reviewed and deliberated on the article published by de Vendomes et al. (2009). EFSA found many basic shortcomings or deficiencies in the article. EFSA therefore rejected the claims made by de Vedomois and coworkers regarding the mammalian toxicity of the GM maize.
The GMO Panel concludes that the authors’ claims, regarding new side effects indicating kidney and liver toxicity are not supported by the data provided in their paper. There is no new information that would lead it to reconsider its previous opinions on the three maize events MON810, MON863 and NK603 which concluded that there were no indications of adverse effects for human, animal health and the environment
Thus, according to EFSA GMO panel, de Vendomois et al. failed to do a good statistical analysis of their data, more importantly they misinterpreted the data (that is the authors are saying what the data did not suggest). In plain English, this means that the paper has a very low scientific value.
Share this article
[Editor’s note: This is part three of a series. Read part one, part two, part four, and part five here.]
