2004年七月，美國國家科學(xué)院頒布的報(bào)告以全球十年跟蹤調(diào)查的案例為例、清楚闡明轉(zhuǎn)基因食品對人類健康、動物健康和生態(tài)環(huán)境都有危害損失和潛在威脅。那以后至今，越來越多的實(shí)驗(yàn)或調(diào)查報(bào)告的案例支持那個(gè)結(jié)論。譬如：
- 去年年底，法國科研人員發(fā)表的實(shí)驗(yàn)報(bào)告說明，轉(zhuǎn)基因?qū)?a class="channel_keylink" href="/pharm/2009/20090113051311_90933.shtml" target="_blank">老鼠內(nèi)臟有顯著的毒性副作用；該報(bào)告還指明了孟山都實(shí)驗(yàn)數(shù)據(jù)有嚴(yán)重方法問題和不完整問題，即其所謂安全結(jié)論是非常不可靠的。
- 自轉(zhuǎn)基因作物上市以來，狗
貓等寵物飼料導(dǎo)致病變或死亡的案例大增、以至于寵物飼料召回?cái)?shù)量超常增加。前陣子，有學(xué)術(shù)組織和科研機(jī)構(gòu)感到奇怪，就對那些飼料做了抽查，發(fā)現(xiàn)多數(shù)都添加了轉(zhuǎn)基因食品。于是，他們決定有系統(tǒng)地全面檢驗(yàn)寵物飼料，用標(biāo)簽方式把轉(zhuǎn)基因和非轉(zhuǎn)基因飼料嚴(yán)格分開。
- 英美澳等國家的醫(yī)學(xué)調(diào)查和長期臨床觀察說明，使用轉(zhuǎn)基因食品的病人的防毒、防過敏和免疫等方面的保健功能明顯差于不吃轉(zhuǎn)基因食品的病人。譬如，人類使用轉(zhuǎn)基因食品后至今十多年里，過敏癥狀大大增加，特別是少兒食品過敏癥狀異常增加。
- 約五年前，美國政府認(rèn)為“生物恐怖主義”隨時(shí)隨地可能發(fā)生、其中一個(gè)手段就是轉(zhuǎn)基因食品誘發(fā)過敏癥。為此，由環(huán)�？偸鸬炔块T牽頭開展了“食品過敏和轉(zhuǎn)基因食品”的課題研究，專攻如何通過轉(zhuǎn)基因食品誘發(fā)過敏、如何防治轉(zhuǎn)基因食品過敏癥。行家認(rèn)為，如果轉(zhuǎn)基因食品對人類是完全安全的而沒有任何副作用，那么，美國環(huán)保總署搞 的那個(gè)高消耗研究課題就是多此一舉了。
根據(jù)多年發(fā)生的大量的轉(zhuǎn)基因食品威脅人類和動物的健康安全的事實(shí)案例，2009年05月，美國環(huán)境醫(yī)學(xué)科學(xué)研究院以相當(dāng)強(qiáng)烈的語言發(fā)表聲明、向所有成員醫(yī)生提出建議，說：轉(zhuǎn)基因食品對病人有嚴(yán)重的安全威脅 ；因此，為病人治療安全和公共健康安全，我們（該機(jī)構(gòu))號召成員醫(yī)生不要讓他們的病人食用轉(zhuǎn)基因食品，并教育所在社區(qū)民眾盡量避免食用轉(zhuǎn)基因食品；我們號召成員醫(yī)生特別注意食用轉(zhuǎn)基因食品的病人的臨床記錄，做好數(shù)據(jù)收集整理；我們要求所有食品都標(biāo)明是否是轉(zhuǎn)基因食品或含有轉(zhuǎn)基因食品。該機(jī)構(gòu)還要求美國政府盡早實(shí)現(xiàn)所有食品標(biāo)簽都遵守法規(guī)、都明確標(biāo)記是否為轉(zhuǎn)基因食品，不能對所謂傳統(tǒng)食品嚴(yán)格要求標(biāo)簽標(biāo)記、而對轉(zhuǎn)基因食品特殊照顧、讓其逍遙法外。
根據(jù)該機(jī)構(gòu)的聲明，地球安全等組織列出了美國社會早些時(shí)候反映的大問題：孟山都公司的轉(zhuǎn)基因食品安全的申請報(bào)告，是自己批準(zhǔn)自己。該披露說：
瑪格利特·米勒是孟山都公司的科研人員；她把公司有關(guān)轉(zhuǎn)基因食品安全和上市的申請報(bào)告交給美國食品及藥物管理總署（FDA-)后，便離職和到FDA-就職了，且負(fù)責(zé)審核批準(zhǔn)轉(zhuǎn)基因食品申請報(bào)告。結(jié)果是： 瑪格利特·米勒審核批準(zhǔn)了自己的申請報(bào)告。與此同時(shí)，瑪格利特·米勒修改了一些準(zhǔn)入審核標(biāo)準(zhǔn)尺度。如此一來，孟山都公司的轉(zhuǎn)基因食品安全的報(bào)告和商品化上市申請得到FDA-的順利批準(zhǔn)，且它的轉(zhuǎn)基因作物能夠順利和快速地實(shí)現(xiàn)商品化和上市。
去年年底，法國科研人員的實(shí)驗(yàn)報(bào)告清楚指明，孟山都公司的轉(zhuǎn)基因食品安全的實(shí)驗(yàn)報(bào)告在實(shí)驗(yàn)方法方面有嚴(yán)重問題、數(shù)據(jù)也是嚴(yán)重不完整，即其實(shí)驗(yàn)報(bào)告是很不可靠的。就是說，F(xiàn)DA-批準(zhǔn)孟山都公司報(bào)告申請，不但是涉嫌“自己批準(zhǔn)自己”的嚴(yán)重利益沖突、且也涉嫌嚴(yán)重作假作弊，是一大丑聞。若反映問題屬實(shí)，那將是美國社會一大丑聞，且也是轉(zhuǎn)基因食品史上的一大丑聞。奧巴馬當(dāng)局就職一年兩個(gè)月，還沒機(jī)會介入此事，因而，事態(tài)發(fā)展如何，還未可知。
與此同時(shí)，有個(gè)很值得注意的動向。本月24日，本人帖文引用美國政府農(nóng)業(yè)部的十年市場預(yù)測、做了簡單分析說：今后十年，轉(zhuǎn)基因食品作物生產(chǎn)消費(fèi)將開始從發(fā)達(dá)國家向發(fā)展中國家轉(zhuǎn)移。差不多同時(shí)，路透社等發(fā)表新聞報(bào)道說，繼美國減少BT轉(zhuǎn)基因玉米
棉花種植面積后，歐盟國家也開始顯著減少轉(zhuǎn)基因玉米等食品種植面積；與2008年比較，其2009年的轉(zhuǎn)基因食品種植面積減少了12%，而總量卻增加7%；考察發(fā)現(xiàn)，那些增加量一半以上發(fā)生在發(fā)展中國家。就是說，轉(zhuǎn)基因作物生產(chǎn)從發(fā)達(dá)國家向發(fā)展中國家的轉(zhuǎn)移已經(jīng)開始，比本人估計(jì)來得更早。 此外，前些時(shí)候的相關(guān)報(bào)道說，越來越多的美國農(nóng)民轉(zhuǎn)向非轉(zhuǎn)基因作物種植。
美國環(huán)境醫(yī)學(xué)科學(xué)研究院于1965年成立，由美國等發(fā)達(dá)國家為主的醫(yī)學(xué)界專業(yè)人士組成。下面是該機(jī)構(gòu)的有關(guān)聲明部分摘錄（有興趣或核實(shí)，請閱讀全文)：
一、美國環(huán)境醫(yī)學(xué)科學(xué)研究院呼吁暫停轉(zhuǎn)基因食品。The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine Calls For
Immediate Moratorium On Genetically Modified Foods .Press Advisory May 19, 2009.
URL：http://www。aaemonline。org/gmopressrelease.html
Wichita, KS - The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) today released its position paper on Genetically Modified foods stating that "GM foods pose a serious health risk" and calling for a moratorium on GM foods. Citing several animal studies, the AAEM concludes "there is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects" and that "GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health."
The AAEM calls for:
- A moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term safety testing and labeling of GM food.
- Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community and the public to avoid GM foods.
- Physicians to consider the role of GM foods in their patients" disease processes.
- More independent long term scientific studies to begin gathering data to investigate the role of GM foods on human health.
"Multiple animal studies have shown that GM foods cause damage to various organ systems in the body. With this mounting evidence, it is imperative to have a moratorium on GM foods for the safety of our patients" and the public"s health," said Dr. Amy Dean, PR chair and Board Member of AAEM.
"Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions," said Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, President of AAEM. "The most common foods in North America which are consumed that are GMO are corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oil."
The AAEM"s position paper on Genetically Modified foods can be found at http:aaemonline。org/gmopost.html.
AAEM is an international association of physicians and other professionals dedicated to addressing the clinical aspects of environmental health. More information is available at www。aaemonline。org.
二、美國環(huán)境醫(yī)學(xué)科學(xué)研究院關(guān)于轉(zhuǎn)基因食品的立場聲明。Genetically Modified Foods AAEM, May 8, 2009.
URL:http://www。aaemonline。org/gmopost.html
According to the World Health Organization, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are "organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in such a way that does not occur naturally."1 This technology is also referred to as "genetic engineering", "biotechnology" or "recombinant DNA technology" and consists of randomly inserting genetic fragments of DNA from one organism to another, usually from a different species. For example, an artificial combination of genes that includes a gene to produce the pesticide Cry1Ab protein (commonly known as Bt toxin), originally found in Bacillus thuringiensis, is inserted in to the DNA of corn randomly. Both the location of the transferred gene sequence in the corn DNA and the consequences of the insertion differ with each insertion. The plant cells that have taken up the inserted gene are then grown in a lab using tissue culture and/or nutrient medium that allows them to develop into plants that are used to grow GM food crops.2
Natural breeding processes have been safely utilized for the past several thousand years. In contrast, "GE crop technology abrogates natural reproductive processes, selection occurs at the single cell level, the procedure is highly mutagenic and routinely breeches genera barriers, and the technique has only been used commercially for 10 years."3
Despite these differences, safety assessment of GM foods has been based on the idea of "substantial equivalence" such that "if a new food is found to be substantially equivalent in composition and nutritional characteristics to an existing food, it can be regarded as safe as the conventional food."4 However, several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system.
There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation as defined by Hill"s Criteria in the areas of strength of association, consistency, specificity, biological gradient, and biological plausibility.5 The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.2,6,7,8,9,10,11
Specificity of the association of GM foods and specific disease processes is also supported. Multiple animal studies show significant immune dysregulation, including upregulation of cytokines associated with asthma, allergy, and inflammation. 6,11 Animal studies also show altered structure and function of the liver, including altered lipid and carbohydrate metabolism as well as cellular changes that could lead to accelerated aging and possibly lead to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). 7,8,10 Changes in the kidney, pancreas and spleen have also been documented. 6,8,10 A recent 2008 study links GM corn with infertility, showing a significant decrease in offspring over time and significantly lower litter weight in mice fed GM corn.8 This study also found that over 400 genes were found to be expressed differently in the mice fed GM corn. These are genes known to control protein synthesis and modification, cell signaling, cholesterol synthesis, and insulin regulation. Studies also show intestinal damage in animals fed GM foods, including proliferative cell growth9 and disruption of the intestinal immune system.6
Regarding biological gradient, one study, done by Kroghsbo, et al., has shown that rats fed transgenic Bt rice trended to a dose related response for Bt specific IgA. 11
Also, because of the mounting data, it is biologically plausible for Genetically Modified Foods to cause adverse health effects in humans.
In spite of this risk, the biotechnology industry claims that GM foods can feed the world through production of higher crop yields. However, a recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists reviewed 12 academic studies and indicates otherwise: "The several thousand field trials over the last 20 years for genes aimed at increasing operational or intrinsic yield (of crops) indicate a significant undertaking. Yet none of these field trials have resulted in increased yield in commercialized major food/feed crops, with the exception of Bt corn."12 However, it was further stated that this increase is largely due to traditional breeding improvements.
Therefore, because GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health and are without benefit, the AAEM believes that it is imperative to adopt the precautionary principle, which is one of the main regulatory tools of the European Union environmental and health policy and serves as a foundation for several international agreements.13 The most commonly used definition is from the 1992 Rio Declaration that states: "In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation."13
Another often used definition originated from an environmental meeting in the United States in 1998 stating: "When an activity raises threats to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In this context, the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof (of the safety of the activity)."13
With the precautionary principle in mind, because GM foods have not been properly tested for human consumption, and because there is ample evidence of probable harm, the AAEM asks:
- Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.
- Physicians to consider the possible role of GM foods in the disease processes of the patients they treat and to document any changes in patient health when changing from GM food to non-GM food.
- Our members, the medical community, and the independent scientific community to gather case studies potentially related to GM food consumption and health effects, begin epidemiological research to investigate the role of GM foods on human health, and conduct safe methods of determining the effect of GM foods on human health.
- For a moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term independent safety testing, and labeling of GM foods, which is necessary for the health and safety of consumers.
Bibliography: Genetically Modified Foods Position Paper AAEM （略)。
－－－－－－－－－－－轉(zhuǎn)基因與非轉(zhuǎn)基因食物如何區(qū)別?
－－－－－－－－－－－現(xiàn)在的轉(zhuǎn)基因食品越來越多,真不知道以后該吃什么啦.
－－－－－－－－－－－吃了大不了就是死嘛，中國人歷來就把死看得很簡單，有句成語叫視死如歸，就是說把死當(dāng)成回家一樣，還有什么可怕的嗎？
