http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/late-cn.htm

Review of Norwegian Report to the Directorate of Nature Management, Norway



" Emphasis is placed on the fact that the vectors used in genetic manipulation are constructed from genetic parasites (viruses, plasmids, mobile elements) which are developed to express genes across species boundaries and ecological barriers. Many of them are able to invade and insert their DNA into the chromosomes of any kind of cell and they are specially constructed to break species barriers. They may in transit have the ability to pick up and transfer genes from new host organisms or other genetic parasites therein. Pathogenic viruses may result with potential to infect earlier refractory hosts and during such potential relays, genetic rearrangements and mutations may arise with unpredictable results. Most vectors also carry antibiotic resistance as markers for integration, these genes also have the potential to leak.
* The belief that DNA in food and forage cannot be up-taken from the gastrointestinal tract is considered to be a dogma by this report. Recent research demonstrated that following ingestion by mice, DNA from the M13 bacteriophage could be detected as relatively long fragments in faeces, peripheral leukocytes, spleen and liver cells in significant time intervals after feeding. In cells the ingested M13 DNA was found in a chromosome integrated form (Doerfler et al,. 1997; Schubbert et al,. 1997). When such DNA was fed to pregnant mice it was detected in various organs from foetuses and newborn animals ( Doerfler and Schubbert 1998).

All these factors add up to a real possibility of genetic pollution via cross-pollination, unplanned breeding and horizontal gene transfer. The level of naked DNA persistence in the environment is likely to increase the chances of such pollution occurring and the report suggests that extensive unpredictable health, environmental and socioeconomic problems may result.

This report questions whether the development of GMO deserves the label "technology". Technology is associated with predictability, control and reproducibility yet the GM of cells and organisms means no possibility to target specific genomic sites, no control over the changes in gene expression patterns for the inserted gene and the endogenous genes of the GMO and no control over the fate of the transgene or parts of the transgene once in situ and once released into an ecosystem.

The report claims that there has been a lack of competent, independent expertise in many technological fields and goes on to document examples of accidents and erroneous evaluations where the full extent of ecological damage largely remains unknown. e.g. the mis-use of antibiotics and the spread of antibiotic resistance, the emergence of recombinant viruses within transgenic plants engineered to be resistant to viruses (Green & Allison, 1994), the laboratory escape of the hybrid "African killer Bees" which resulted in the deaths of more than 1000 people and the BSE/ nvCJD episode in Britain."

* A bacterium was engineered to produce increased levels of the amino acid L-tryptophan which was harvested and sold as a nutritional supplement in a tablet form extensively across health food stores. Small amounts of a toxic, tryptophan-related molecule was identified in the tablets (Sidransky et al,. 1994). This toxic tryptophan-related molecule may have been the cause of EMS (easinophilia-myalgia syndrome) in persons whom consumed the product and resulted in 37 deaths and 1500 cases of chronic neurological and auto-immune symptoms. However, this has never been clarified because the GM stock of bacteria was not available for investigation (Australian Gen-Ethics Network, 1994).

* GM Tobacco plants were engineered to produce gamma-linolenic acid. Instead they produced a toxic product; octadecatetraenic acid which does not exist in unmodified tobacco plants (Reddy & Thomas, 1996).

* GM yeast modified to obtain increased fermentation was found to accumulate the metabolite methyl-glyoxal in toxic and mutagenic concentrations (Inose & Murata, 1995)

* A brazil nut gene was inserted into Soya and unexpected strong allergic reactions were recorded in nut-allergic persons whom had never had a problem with normal Soya. Prior to the more stringent tests conducted by Nordlee et al,. 1996, the inserted brazil nut gene, methionine-rich 2S albumin, was thought not to code for any known allergen.

http://www.whale.to/a/g6.html

His findings on the strategies can be summed up as follows: 'Genetically
modified viruses and genetically engineered virus-vector vaccines carry
significant unpredictability and a number of inherently harmful potentials
and hazards.

'The immunological advantages of such vaccines are related to the fact that
the viruses are 'live' and infect the vaccinated individuals. It has,
however, been demonstrated that minor genetic changes in, or differences
between, viruses can result in dramatic changes in host spectrum and
disease-causing potentials. For all these vaccines, important questions
concerning effects on other species than the targeted one (have been) left
unanswered so far.'

In the concluding chapter of his report, Traavik reiterates the seriousness
of the situation: 'it is not possible for the moment to either assess or
manage the environmental risks (posed by many first generation live,
genetically engineered vaccines). Most probably we have not even conceived
all theoretical risks at the present time.'

He calls to mind the all-too-often-tragic past concerning the use of
'technology': 'Recent years have witnessed many examples of unforeseen side
effects from 'safe technology' having led to health risks and threatened to
disturb the ecological balance. Dogmas concerning absence of hazards have
often been proven wrong... Absolute biological and ecological truths are,
however, very rare, and rare phenomena may have important consequences when
they take place.'

He stresses that to the extent that any prior investigations of damaging
effects had been undertaken, methods and approaches had been used that were
only capable of disclosing short-term effects, whereas in ecological
contexts it is the long-term impacts that are most important and most serious.

'Long-term impacts in these contexts, and also in connection with the
possible damaging effects of the dispersal of genetically engineered
vaccines means not months or years, but at least ten to hundreds of years,'
Traavik warns.




'It must always be kept in mind that
although vaccinology is the 'Holy Grail' of medicine, there are other ways
of preventing infectious diseases in humans and animals that must not be
ignored. Many of the most burdening infectious agents of mankind and its
domesticated animals are caused by pathogens that have reservoirs and are
circulating among wildlife animals.

'By increasing our knowledge about these reservoirs, their occurrence, the
transmission routes within and out of the indigenous ecosystems, we might
be able to break transmission chains or keep our activities out of
dangerous ecosystems. There is a void in knowledge about the ecological
interactions for many important pathogens. This field is to some extent
subdued by the confidence in vaccines, and hence another scientific orphan.'

Reading what is going on in the Scientific world they way they arrogantly are manipulating nature... has me shivering to my very soul!!!!


..and to play Frankenstein with our very lives by feeding us...injecting us with mutant...artificially created life.. altered foods...

it doesn't bode good!!