From: Dana Coyle [dana@garyplayer.com] Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 9:16 AM To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov Subject: DOCKETS OON-1396 AND OOD-1598 FDA Commissioner Dockets Management Branch (HFA 305) Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fisher's Lane, Room 1061 Rockville, Maryland 20852 Dear FDA Commissioner The proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations fail to require labels or safety tests on genetically engineered (GE) food. The new rules continue to deny Americans the right to know what is in our food, while protecting the economic interests of biotech corporations. As a consumer, I want to know what is in the products I purchase and prepare for my family. Labeling GE foods would protect the public from potential hazardous health effects such as food allergies and toxicity that can only be traced if GE foods can be identified. By refusing to require both labeling and mandatory pre-market safety testing of foods, the FDA puts consumers' health at risk, ignores possible environmental hazards, and fails to satisfy the overwhelming desire of American consumers to exercise freedom of choice in the marketplace. It is not enough to require that firms simply notify you of their intent to market a food produced with genetic engineering; this is no substitute for thorough pre-market safety testing. The proposed "voluntary labeling" guidelines will do nothing to inform consumers of the presence of genetically engineered ingredients in their food, because biotech companies and food manufacturers have vehemently opposed labeling in the past and will not voluntarily label their foods in the future. Therefore, I urge you to keep all genetically engineered ingredients and crops off the market unless or until: 1. Independent safety testing demonstrates they have no harmful effects on human health or the environment. 2. They are labeled to ensure consumers' right-to-know. 3. The biotechnology corporations that produce them are held responsible for any harms they may cause. I strongly oppose these proposed regulations, especially without pre-market testing, and would like to see our country's government take a stronger, protective stand when it comes to the citizens' health and free choice. Thank you. Dana Coyle Gary Player Group, Inc. 3930 RCA Boulevard, Suite 3001 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 United States of America Tel 561 624 0300 Fax 561 624 0304 email dana@garyplayer.com website www.garyplayer.com