From: David Fisher [dfisher@mum.edu]
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2001 10:41 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: testing and labeling GMOs

Dear FDA,

I'm writing to protest the fact that genetically engineered foods are not only currently not labelled, they have not been adequately tested, as you well know.  Only a few short-term tests have been conducted on these foods, and most of these tests have not been published in independent, peer-reviewed scientific journals.  No tests for long-term effects have been conducted, a shocking shortcoming for the FDA.  The only reason the FDA has allowed these potentially dangerous foods to flood the market untested and unlabelled is because of the overly cozy relationship between the biotech industry and the FDA.  Clearly, the FDA has put the biotech industry's short-term interests ahead of public health and safety.  
    The argument that there is no evidence of adverse health effects of GMOs is completely lacking in merit, for two reasons.  First, the grossly inadequate testing, as mentioned above.  Second, the Center for Disease Control estimates there are 73 million cases of food poisoning in the U.S. each year.  Since genetically engineered foods are not labeled, hundreds of thousands of people could be getting food poisoning effects (see the Starlink fiasco) and we would not know it.  This of course is exactly what the biotech industry wants: zero liability, zero responsibility for harmful effects of its products.  This industry is largely the same one exposed so recently by the Bill Moyers expose on similarly inadequately tested chemicals, so you know what you are dealing with.
Please, start living up to your responsibility and duty to protect the public.  Demand meaningful testing and labelling.

Sincerely,
David G. Fisher, PhD (botany)