From: Center for Food Safety [action@foodsafetynow.org] Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 11:43 AM To: FDA Commissioner Cc: president@whitehouse.gov; vice.president@whitehouse.gov; fdadockets@oc.fda.gov; fdadockets@oc.fda.gov Subject: Oppose the New FDA Regulations on GE Foods! FDA Commissioner Dockets Management Branch (HFA 305) Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fisher's Lane, rm. 1061 Rockville, MD 20852 RE: Docket No. 00N-1396, and 00D-1598 Dear FDA, I am outraged by your new policies on genetically engineered (GE)foods. Despite overwhelming consumer demand, your agency still fails to require safety testing and mandatory labeling for GE foods. Your “notification” policy is an insult to consumers, and irresponsibly ignores strong scientific evidence of numerous potential health and environmental risks to GE foods. You should be aware that these foods could be toxic, could cause allergic responses, could have lower nutrition value, could compromise immune responses in consumers, and could cause irreparable damage to the environment. It has already been proven that the pollen from these crops has harmful ingredients that are carried by insects to non-genetically engineered crops, some of the insects have been killed from ingesting these toxins, and birds feeding on these insects have been made sick and died. Please accept the fact that not only do we not need genetically engineered foods, but that they have the potential to start an epidemic of unexplained illness in humans as well as unknown negative effects on the future of our fragile ecosystem. This is just one more scam by big industries to convince the American public that this is something we need and that will help our "economy." You need only yo ask scientists if this is something that is needed to improve crops, if it is even remotely proven to be safe, and if it is a risk tha needs to be taken. Listen to what millions of people in this country have said - WE DON'T WANT GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS!!! The world and it's inhabitants have gotten along for thousands, even millions, of years without them. Listen to what has been said about these crops in Canada and western Europe - those people have banned such products, and for good reason. I am also greatly opposed to your new “voluntary labeling” policy, which denies consumers a basic right to know. 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 will also be deprived of the critical knowledge they need to hold food producers liable should any of these novel foods prove hazardous. As the safety officer where I work, I know that there are numerous laws requiring "Right-To-Know" compliance in several areas - why aren't you required to provide the information that people need to save their very lives and the lives of so many helpless living things in our country who are at risk? Your proposed rules ignore serious concerns, and appear to be a decision made to convenience industry at the expense of public health and the environment. I will not accept your attempt to make me a guinea pig of these untested foods, and I trust you will take my concern along with the thousands of others into serious consideration. Sincerely, Sherry Lizardo 1396 E. Kern Tulare, Ca, 93274 CC: The President Vice President Dick Cheney FDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00N-1396] Senator Dianne Feinstein Senator Barbara Boxer Representative Calvin M. Dooley Representative William M. ThomasFDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00D-1598] To the recipient -- this fax/email message has come to you via the Center for Food Safety web site -- a public tool for providing input on food safety issues. The user/site visitor had complete control over editing the content of this message. Thus, the opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of CFS or its parent organization, ICTA. Please contact CFS at (202)547-9359 or email office@centerforfoodsafety.org with any questions. Thank you. ___________________________________________________________________________ This letter was composed at www.foodsafetynow.org, a web site maintained by: The Center for Food Safety, 666 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Suite 302 Washington, DC 20003 PH: (202)547-9359 Fax: (202)547-9429 Email: office@centerforfoodsafety.org web: www.centerforfoodsafety.org