Health Canada to review GM corn study

by Sarah Schmidt, POSTMEDIA NEWS
MontrealGazette.com
September 20, 2012

OTTAWA–Health Canada said Thursday it will take action if its review of a new study that found Canadian-grown genetically modified corn is linked to elevated risks of cancer, organ damage and premature death in rats “demonstrate a risk” to Canadians.

The first-ever GM food safety study to test the entire life span of laboratory rats, newly published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, also found health impacts for rats exposed to Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup, the widest selling herbicide in the world.

The French study, while challenged by some experts, is being taking seriously by the French government. On Thursday, it ordered an urgent review of the study assessing the safety of GM corn and said it will work for a Europe-wide ban of imports of the crop if the findings were found to be conclusive.

In Canada, where the GM corn is grown and used for animal feed and processed food ingredients, Health Canada said Thursday it would be premature to offer its assessment, saying departmental scientists are currently reviewing the findings.

“Should our review of this new study demonstrate a risk, Health Canada will take appropriate actions to protect the health and safety of Canadians,” the department added.

The study of Monsanto’s GM corn NK603, approved by Health Canada in 2001 and engineered to withstand sprayings of the company’s herbicide Roundup, found that rats fed the GM corn or Roundup developed tumours faster and died earlier than rats fed non-GM corn.

The study involving 100 female rats and 100 male rats were split into groups and fed different amounts of either GM corn, Roundup herbicide or both, over two years. There was also a control group, which was fed regular corn and plain water.

Up to 50 per cent of males fed GM corn or Roundup and 70 per cent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 per cent and 20 per cent in the control group, the study found. And overall, rats fed GM corn or Roundup developed two to three times more tumours. Females developed fatal mammary tumours and pituitary disorders, while males suffered liver damage, developed kidney and skin tumours and problems with their digestive system, the study states.

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[hat tip: Press For Truth]