At 21:53 22/09/02 +0200, Christoph Reuss wrote: (KH) >> This strikes me as being a most unconvincing piece of research I'm afraid. >> It has the same "feel" as many "studies" in the alternative-health movement >> over here. Was this study peer-reviewed in a reputable science journal? (CR) >The study was done by biochemist Dr. Thomas Bohner at the Swiss Federal >Institute of Technology Zurich (one of Europe's leading universities). >An article about it was published in the largest Swiss health magazine, >"Puls-Tip" (March 1999), which is peer-reviewed by several PhDs. So, >nothing to do with esoterics -- but I'm not sure if a "reputable science >journal" published the study; keep in mind that such journals tend to be >controlled by the industry that makes billions with GM enzymes...
As I suspected, this study was published in a health magazine and not in a reputable science or medical journal. There were several features about your original description which made me suspect its validity. The sample was far too small (110 people), there was no mention of a matched control group (very important in such a study) and the illnesses were allergies (notoriously difficult to define, many of them being hysterical). For some years, Americans have chomped their way through thousands of tons of GM maize and soya without any evidence of ill effects. Any number of independent research teams would have jumped on this (and probably have done) to see if there was any evidence of serious consequences. None has emerged as far as I'm aware. Yes, I'm aware that big industry tries to nobble the editors of some journals (and succeed in some cases I'm sure) but not *all* of the possible outlets for adverse results of research. I'm not a supporter of Monsanto and its ilk. I think they have acted prematurely and irresponsibly, given the wider unforeseeable effects on the environment. It is particularly iniquitous that they should have been allowed to patent terminator genes (so that farmers can't replant the grains). Monsanto and others should have been stomped on a long time ago by some body in authority. However, there is no respectable body of evidence yet that the ingestion of GM food is harmful. I don't want to continue what you're determined to make into a slanging match. This is a complex issue issue and not amenable to all-or-nothing, black-and-white, I'm right-you're wrong determinations. Keith Hudson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Keith Hudson,6 Upper Camden Place, Bath BA1 5HX, England Tel:01225 312622/444881; Fax:01225 447727; E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________
