From: Brenda K Friedrich [bfriedrich@juno.com]
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 10:39 AM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: dockets . 00N-1396 and 00D-1598

Dear FDA Commissioner,

With the continued increase of cancer in our county, I am very disappointed with your organization concerning the lack of regulations for genetically engineered food and the lack of labeling for these products.  Are you not concerned about the health of the people of this country?  Are you only concerned about the kickbacks you receive from the biotech companies and their economic growth?  Many Europeans have voiced their opinions and their governments have listened!  What's wrong with the United States?

You are costing the concerned people of this county to pay more for their food by purchasing organic, GE-free foods!  Which I realize you probably don't really care about the American public. But on an average income, this puts a bind on other necessary purchases. 

Your new proposed 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.

Labeling GE foods would protect the public from potential hazardous health effects such as food allergies (which I have experienced) 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 consumer's 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; and 

3) The biotechnology corporations that produce them are held responsible for any harms they may cause. 

Thank you for your consideration in this important issue.

Sincerely,

Brenda Friedrich