From: Timo Kivio [tkivio@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2001 10:30 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Labeling or bust

To Whom It May Concern,

If everyone would follow their inner voice and look at
the big picture leaving all the self-centered thoughts
and actions behind, every single one of them would
admit that the proposed rules on genetically
engineered foods make absolutely no sense. For
everyone's sake, I wish, beg, and pray that you with
the power listen to yourself and have the courage to
propose rules that comply with the common good for
generations to come. That's why I request that
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PRODUCTS MUST BE LABELED AND
TESTED FOR SAFETY!

Just thing about these proposed rules. They propose
that genetically engineered foods:

* Do not require mandatory pre-market safety testing
* Do not require pre-market environmental review
* Do not require mandatory labeling of GE foods
* Restrict voluntary labeling of non-GE foods
* Require a mere letter of notification prior to the 
  marketing of a GE food
* Fail to ensure public access to adequate information

  for independent review
* Are supported by industry and opposed by consumer
groups

To me this doesn't make any sense and I know that deep
inside you know the truth. Act upon it. Be brave. Be
different. When you do good for everyone, you do good
for yourself. If we take actions that give us short
term financial and vocational benefits we'll be
digging our own grave. Just think. The friendships
based on money and power are superficial. These people
are not your real friends. Deep inside you know that.
Act upon those feelings and you know everybody will be
safe. Think about your children and the generations to
come. Think about the nature we live in and still have
the opportunity to save. When we go for a vacation we
always go to enjoy the nature. Help us save its beauty
because it matters to me and it matters to you. We are
of nature so let's keep things natural. That's the
natural way. The best way.

So I request that:

* 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.

Thank you so much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Timo Kivio
Mt. Pleasant, SC

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