From: Douglas S Bishop [douglasbishop@lycos.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 7:54 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: genetically engineered food

To the FDA:
I am writing to you to find out why, despite overwhelming consumer demand, the FDA has failed to require ecological safety testing or mandatory labeling of genetically engineered 'foods.'
I believe that the FDA should do the following:
*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.
*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.
*End its relationship with the industries you purport 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.  This seems obviously detrimental to the objective regulation of the industry.
I hope you will consider my comments carefully and respond with appropriate action.
SINCERELY YOURS,
Douglas Bishop







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