Launch of Independent
Science Panel
Michael Meacher addressed an historic
gathering at which dozens of prominent scientists
launched themselves as an Independent Science
Panel (ISP) to counteract what they see to be a
concerted campaign by the government and the
scientific establishment to promote genetic
modification (GM) under the guise of
‘sound’ science.
"This amounts to open scientific
rebellion, possibly unprecedented in
history," said Mae-Wan Ho, Director of the
Institute of Science in Society, who initiated
the move, and confessed to having been taken by
surprise, and delighted, by the positive response
of the scientists contacted.
Many scientists are frustrated at the lack of
open public debate on a whole range of scientific
and other issues. The ‘discussion
meetings’ organised by the government are
invariably stacked with pro-GM scientists hyping
the potential benefits of GM, and giving the
public bland assurances that "there is no
evidence of harm".
But the move to set up an Independent Science
Panel (ISP) was precipitated by the interview
with Meacher, published in the March issue of The
Ecologist, in which Meacher suggested that GM
technology is not necessary to solve world hunger
and could prove dangerous over the longer term,
something that the scientists have been saying
for years.
The twenty-five strong ISP on GM was
officially launched 10 May in King’s
College, London University, at a special public
conference, GM Crops: Do We Need Them? Are they
Safe? The launch coincided with the release of
their much awaited draft report, The
Case for a GM-Free Sustainable World ,
published on the ISIS website (www.i-sis.org.uk),
which calls for banning GM crops to make way for
all forms of sustainable agriculture.
Imagine their collective delight, when within
days of the conference, Meacher’s office
rang up to say that he would be attending the
conference.
Meacher arrived punctually at 1:25pm on the
day, full of smiles as usual; and was met at the
door by an ad hoc welcoming committee of
several ISP members.
Peter Saunders, Prof. of Applied Mathematics,
King’s College, who chaired the conference,
welcomed Meacher with the words: "One good
thing the present Labour government has done was
to appoint an environment minister who took the
job seriously; and when they discovered that he
actually took the job seriously, left him in the
post."
Meacher addressed the conference, and made
clear that the GM Science Review will not
be making their final report until after
the public debate, and welcomed the ISP’s
input into the national GM debate. He hoped his
presence at the launch would demonstrate that the
government was keen to hear as many viewpoints as
possible to inform policy-making, and stressed,
"contributions from scientists of all
shades of opinion are being included, in
what is intended to be a fully participative
process". He said, "I do believe that
this launch today is an important development,
and I look forward to its contribution to what
needs to be a balanced,
rigorous, thoughtful and comprehensive scientific
debate…"
Meacher stayed for the next hour to hear the
first two talks, by David Bellamy and Arpad
Pusztai. As he left, Meacher said privately he
was "very pleased" to have met and
heard Pusztai, apparently, for the very first
time. History is being made indeed, in more ways
than one.
Scientists Rebelling with A Cause
"Miraculous", "Event of the
year", "Brilliant" and
"Wonderful" were some of the praises
heaped upon the launching conference of the ISP
by the 200 enthusiastic participants.
"All too often, debates on GM begin by
taking it for granted that science is as industry
and the other supporters of GM say it is,"
said Peter Saunders, as he opened the 5-hour long
conference, "and that no one except
anti-science Luddites are opposed to GM".
 Not any more;
the launching of the Independent Science Panel,
its draft report released on the day, and the
conference itself, all bear witness to the fact
that it is the science of GM that’s most
debatable, and that’s why the ISP is needed.
When independent scientists in molecular
genetics and other relevant disciplines come out
with evidence of GM hazards, that for far too
long have simply been ignored and dismissed, the
pro-GM establishment can no longer get away with
sweeping assurances: "Trust me, I’m an
expert."
The conference was not due to start until
1:30pm, but people started arriving at noon, and
by the time Meacher came, there must have been at
least 200 in the lecture theatre.
David Bellamy, Britain’s best-loved
botanist, broadcaster, and campaigner for Mother
Earth, gave the first lecture, which,
uncharacteristically, he read out from a prepared
text, showing just how seriously he took the
event. Bellamy decried the folly of the human
race that put us at odds with Nature, and
lamented the trappings of modern universities,
with knowledge commodified and subject to market
forces. He called for a return to the original
meanings of education and philosophy, which are
essentially teaching about life in a holistic
manner. "We are doing that today; we are
discussing no small matter, of how we ought to
live," he said. He noted that the issues
(including GM) are complex, and "that’s
why we need this panel of independent
scientists".
Arpad Pusztai, formerly of the Rowett
Institute, Scotland, and then Stanley Ewen,
consultant histopathologist, Grampian University
Hospitals Trust, followed with the clearest most
damning evidence that GM food is by no means
safe, in the still  only
systematic investigation ever carried out in the
world. Pusztai, Susan Bardocz and Ewen had just
published their most up-to-date and comprehensive
paper in a book on food safety. The ‘growth
factor’ effects found in young rats fed GM
potatoes may be early warnings of a progression
to cancer, according to Ewen. There were also
non-specific signs of viral infections. Michael
Meacher was clearly impressed as he left after
Pusztai’s talk.
Malcolm Hooper gave a galloping review on the
hazards of the broad-spectrum herbicides,
glufosinate ammonium and glyphosate, that
together, are used with more than 75% of all GM
crops grown today. These broad-spectrum
herbicides not only kill plants indiscriminately,
they are also harmful to practically all species
of animal wildlife and to human beings. Both of
them are systemic metabolic poisons that affect
many vital functions.
Gundula Azeez, Policy Manager of the Soil
Association, made clear that GM crops cannot
co-exist with non-GM crops without risking
large-scale contamination with all the attendant
problems, especially for organic farmers.
Vyvyan Howard, toxico-pathologist, University
of Liverpool, exposed the ‘fact-free’
anti-precautionary risk assessment that industry
and regulators routinely use, that’s based
on little or no relevant data, but often on
models that have no contact with reality. He gave
examples of early warnings being ignored and the
late responses of regulators (e.g. in the case of
radiation, asbestos and greenhouse gases). Given
the potential serious impacts of GM technology
and the long
time lags involved, caution is warranted, as this
is "self-replicating pollution". Dr.
Vyvyan Howard is a medically qualified
toxico-pathologist at the University of
Liverpool, and a major concern of his has been
the introduction of the precautionary principle
in policy making. Much of his research has been
on fetal and infant growth and the negative
effects associated with toxins. Children, in
particular, are very vulnerable to exposure to
pesticides and other toxic chemicals: they are
smaller and their immune and nervous systems are
not fully developed. He is concerned about the
chronic low dose exposure to these mixtures of
chemicals. Up to 500 man-made chemical residues
can now be found in everybody. We have no way of
measuring the toxicity of such complex mixtures,
or of GMOs. Precaution and reduction are,
therefore, the principal options that society
should take.
Brian John, geomorphologist, environmental
scientist and member of the coordinating group
for GM Free Cymru, gave an eloquent and rousing
speech attacking the corruption of science by
commercial imperatives, which makes this science
no longer fit for public consumption. He spoke
for the sentiment of the ISP as well as for the
audience. There was a standing ovation for Brian
John.
 Mae-Wan Ho
gave the final talk, and displayed her penchant
for play and the unexpected by images of "A
time and a place for gene transfer", which
makes the point that genetic engineering is
breaking all the rules of evolution by increasing
the scope and the tendency for horizontal gene
transfer and recombination, precisely the
processes that generate new disease agents that
cause major epidemics and trigger cancer.
And as the conference was in progress, so was
an "indefinite hunger strike", which
begun 22 April in the Philippines, led by a
member of the ISP, Roberto Verzola,
Secretary-General of the Philippine Greens, in
protest of his government’s approval of Bt
maize. "We will continue the hunger strike
for as long as necessary to convince the
government to hold in abeyance the commercial
sale of Bt corn in the Philippines." Verzola
said. An electronic copy of the draft ISP report
was dispatched to the hunger strikers, to present
to the Philippine President, together with a
letter of support from the ISP.
The audience was so inspired that the hall was
still buzzing after the conference ended.
"Miraculous", "event of the
year", "brilliant" and
"wonderful" were just some of the
praises showered on the proceedings.
Details of the proceedings will be available
at a later stage. Meanwhile, see some of the
pictorial highlights at the back cover of this
issue.
| A GM-Free London? Noel
Lynch, a Green Party member of the London
Assembly, brought some good news to the
conference. He reported that the Mayor,
Ken Livingstone, has included the
following statement in London’s
Biodiversity Strategy: "The mayor
will oppose commercial or experimental
release of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) into the environment in
London". The Greens in the Assembly
are now lobbying determinedly for the
Mayor to declare London a GM-free zone.
|
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photo Katharina Zyla
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