No Foolproof Way Is Seen to Contain Altered Genes

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0121-02.htm


A new report commissioned by the government suggests that it will be difficult to completely prevent genetically
engineered plants and animals from having unintended environmental and public health effects.

The report, released yesterday by the National Research Council of the National
Academy of Sciences, says that while there are many techniques being developed
to prevent genetically engineered organisms or their genes from escaping into the
wild, most techniques are still in early development and none appear to be
completely effective.

"One of our big messages throughout the whole report is that there are very few
bioconfinement methods that are well developed," Anne R. Kapuscinski, a
professor of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology at the University of
Minnesota and a member of the committee that wrote the report, said at a news
conference in Washington yesterday.

Companies and scientists are now developing a wide range of genetically modified
organisms: salmon that grow superfast, mosquitoes engineered not to transmit
malaria, corn that produces pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals.

in the White House is spending one thousand five hundred million dollars on marriage counseling. Runaway artificially engineered mutations are a bigger threat than nuclear war OR terrorism.

:eyes:

....i propose that we use freepers and registered republicans to test our food for safety before we eat it. they're the ones responsible for this problem, let them take all the risk.

republicans = garbage

One of the favourite tactics of the pro-GMO side in the debate over the safety of GMOs is to denigrate anyone who questions the wisdom of unleashing GM products on the environment as being uneducated, hysteria-mongering Luddites with an irrational fear of technology and science.

To counteract that impression, check out the British based organization Science in Society. www.i-sis.org.uk SiS has scientist members from all around the world who question and are actively opposing the push by the trans-nationals to force GM products onto the market without adequate testing and regardless of whether consumers want them or not.


Some of their scientist put out an open letter calling for the halt to the introduction of GM crops and listing their concerns re. GMOs which they feel are not being adequately addressed.

We, the undersigned scientists, call for the immediate suspension of all environmental releases of GM crops and products, both commercially and in open field trials, for at least 5 years; for patents on living processes, organisms, seeds, cell lines and genes to be revoked and banned; and for a comprehensive public enquiry into the future of agriculture and food security for all.

Patents on life-forms and living processes should be banned because they threaten food security, sanction biopiracy of indigenous knowledge and genetic resources, violate basic human rights and dignity, compromise healthcare, impede medical and scientific research and are against the welfare of animals.

GM crops offer no benefits to farmers or consumers. Instead, many problems have been identified, including yield drag, increased herbicide use, erratic performance, and poor economic returns to farmers. GM crops also intensify corporate monopoly on food, which is driving family farmers to destitution, and preventing the essential shift to sustainable agriculture that can guarantee food security and health around the world

The hazards of GMOs to biodiversity and human and animal health are now acknowledged by sources within the UK and US Governments. Particularly serious consequences are associated with the potential for horizontal gene transfer. These include the spread of antibiotic resistance marker genes that would render infectious diseases untreatable, the generation of new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases, and harmful mutations which may lead to cancer.

The rest of the open letter is available at: http://www.i-sis.org.uk/list.php

Some of the 676 scientist who signed the letter include:

Dr. David Bellamy, Biologist and Broadcaster, London, UK
Prof. Liebe Cavalieri, Mathematical Ecologist, Univ. Minnesota, USA
Dr. Thomas S. Cox, Geneticist, US Dept. of Agriculture (retired), India
Dr. Tewolde Egziabher, Spokesperson for African Region, Ethiopia
Dr. David Ehrenfeld, Biologist/Ecologist, Rutgers University, USA
Dr. Vladimir Zajac, Oncovirologist, Genetisist, Cancer Reseach Inst, Czech Republic
Dr. Brian Hursey, ex FAO Senior Officer for Vector Borne Diseases, UK
Prof. Ruth Hubbard, Geneticist, Harvard University, USA
Prof. Jonathan King, Molecular Biologist, MIT, Cambridge, USA
Prof. Gilles-Eric Seralini, Laboratoire de Biochimie & Moleculaire, Univ. Caen, France
Dr. David Suzuki, Geneticist, David Suzuki Foundation, Univ. British Columbia, Canada
Dr. Vandana Shiva, Theoretical Physicist and Ecologist, India
Dr. George Woodwell, Director, Woods Hole Research Center, USA
Prof. Oscar B. Zamora, Agronomist, U. Philippines, Los Banos, Philippines

simply because you make it so damn easy?

the website you link is, at best, a parody of science (i can't make up my mind if it's a serious site or not).

if it's serious, these people (of course) have the right speak their minds, but it's pet peeve of mine when political advocacy groups set up websites that have the "look and feel" of science, but are in fact the antithesis of science.

for example, they "pick and choose" results and published papers that support their viewpoint (much like the crowd who denies global warming, or more recently, denies humans play a role therein) instead of providing an unbiased analysis of all available studies.

by using this strategy, water can be made to sound damn scary, so scary that up to 92% of people signed a petition to ban it (see further discussion on this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=322104 ).

almost all the points they make against GM crops apply equally against modern agricultural practice in general (loss of genetic diversity, corporate control of farms, over-use of pesticides, inability of the world's poor to afford to purchase food . . . ).

furthermore they make flat out wrong statements such as "GM crops offer no benefits to farmers or consumers" - if true, why are there millions of acres of GM crops currently being grown? There must be some benefit, or this would not be the case (i'm not arguing here whether the risks outweigh the benefits or not, just pointing out what a ludicrous statement it is).

finally, here are some the the "scientist members" of the i-sis organization. i'll let the reader judge if this bunch is capable of unbiased formulation of opinions of gm crops.

Dr. Jesse Stewart concernment for the application of education and assuring the liberty freedom and unity in life
Kim Smith I consume only organic food and desire to see a ban put on GM as soon as possible USA
Colleen Sheppard Wholistic Energy Therapist USA
Prof. Reungchai Tansakul Ph.D Biologist Prince of Songkla University Thailand
Rev Thomas Klein Orthodox Priest USA
A J Maimbourg Keen desire to see GM foods banned due to potential health problems USA

There are also these ones which are, by and large, not flaky at all. While not all of them have biology/genetics etc. as their primary discipline many of them do:

(At least some that signed the open letter calling for a moratorium on the growing of GMO crops.)

Dr. Graeme E. Browne General Practitioner Melbourne PSRAST Australia
9 Dr. Judy A. Carman Epidemiologist Flanders University Adelaide Australia
10 Dr. Catherine Clinch-Jones General Practitioner Adelaide Australia
11 Mr Sid Cowling B.Sc Environmental Biology Consultant Australia
12 Dr. Philip A. Davies Geneticist Adelaide Australia
13 Rocco Di Vincenzo M.Sc Chief Dietitian Swinburne University Hospital Australia
14 Prof. Horst W. Doelle Micobiologist Univ. Queensland retired Chair of International Organisation for Biotechnology and Bioengineering Director MIRCEN-Biotechnology Brisbance and Pacific Regional Network Australia
15 Dr. Lynette J. Dumble Medical Scientist Women's Health and Environment University of Melbourne Australia
16 Doug N Everingham Physician MB BS Univ Syd 1946 Ex MPs Association Australia
17 Angela Fehringer Anthropology Student Sydney Australia
18 Prof. Frank G.H.P. Fisher Graduate School of Environmental Science Clayton Australia
19 Kasia E. Gabrys Environmental Scientist Environmental Science National Trust of Australia Melbourne Australia
20 Dr. Dion Giles Ph.D Analytical chemistry organic chemistry chemical education Stop MAI (WA) Australia
21 Stephen Glanville PDC ECOS Design Australia
22 Dr. Veronica R. Griffin Consultant Nutrition and Environmental Medicine Cairns Australia
24 Dr. Richard Hindmarsh Environmental Social Scientist Univ. Queensland Australia
25 Margaret Jackson B.Sc. Genetics National Genetics Awareness Alliance Australia
26 Steven Kiss B.Sc Biological/ Organic Farm Manager broad acre crops sheep cattle medicinal herbs Australia
27 Dr. Elmar Klucis Ph.D Biochenistry Biology Retired Australia
28 Keith Loveridge B.Sc Bachelor Environmental Soc Sci RMIT University Croydon Conservation Society Australia
29 Lisa McDonald Agronomist CRC for Sustainable Sugar Production James Cook University Australia
30 Michelle Mclaren Bach Nutrition and Dietetics Australia
31 Dr. Peter J. McMachon Plant Physiologist Genethics Australia Conservation Foundation Australia
32 Elham Monavari B.Sc Bsc Maj Biology Masters in Env. Managemment Student Cities for Climate Protection Project Officer Australia
33 Dr. Paul Nelson CSIRO Land and Water PMB Australia


Dr. Sandra Awang Ph.D Sociologist/Writer on biodiversity biodemocracy and food security Canada
72 Prof.em Henry Becker Ph.D 7 years in applied biology 35 years teaching research in chemical engineering currently writing book on nutrition health disease Queen s University Canada
73 Dr Warren Bell MD Canad. Assoc. of Physicians for the Environ. Canada
74 Prof. emeritus Alfred M. Braxton Anthropologist Univ. British Columbia Canada
75 John A Brown watchdog on growing power of corporacy in our world and the world s governments lack of will stop it Education Canada
76 Denis Cauchon M.Sc. Ph.D. candidate Toxicology Ecole HEC Montreal Canada
77 Dr. Samit Chakrabarty Ph.D Systems Neurophysiologist Canada
78 Yoon C. Chen B.Sc. DPM Podiatrist Foot Clinic Lethbridge Alberta Canada
79 Bert R. Christie Plant Breeding Research Scientist Agriculture and AgriFood Canada Charlotte Town Canada
80 Dr. E.Ann Clark Ph.D crop physiologist Plant Agriculture University of Guelph Canada
81 Prof. Alain Cuerrier Taxonomy/Botany Quebec Univ. of Montreal Canada
82 Prof. Joe Cummins Geneticist University of Western Ontario Canada
83 Prof. Edwin E. Daniel FRSC Health Science McMaster Univ. Ontario Canada
84 Justin Duncan B.Sc Environmental biology law and policy Queen's University Canada
85 Prof. Chavez Eduardo R Ph.D Animal nutrition production and mangement agricultural production systems McGill University Canada
86 Virginia F. Flamarique AMD Consultant Agrologist Edmonton Canada
87 Dr. Imme Gerke Ph.D Cell biologist BIOTEPP Canada
88 Julie Guenette M.Phil Philosophical enquiry into our relationship to nature Ottawa University Canada
89 Tanya Handa M.Sc. Ecologist Univ. Toronto Toronto Canada
90 Virginia Jacobsen organic growers Canada
91 Aaron Jette Anthrolopogy student McGill Univ. Montreal Canada
92 Prof. Leonard Kasdan Ph.D Social Anthropology and Resource and environmental studies Dalhousie University (retired) Canada
93 Dr. Gavin A. Kemp ret. Researcher Vegetable Crop Breeding Lethbridge Canada
94 Zorica Knezevic M.Sc Senior Consultant Environment Stantec Consulting Ltd Canada
95 Prof. Ronald Labonte Population Health Research Director Ontario Canada
96 William J. Lewis Linguist Univ. of Victoria British Columbia Canada
97 Prof. Abby Lippman Epidemologist & Geneticist McGill Un. Canada
98 Prof. Ralph C. Martin Plant Science Nova Scotia Agricultural College Truro Canada
99 Prof. Dennis R. McCalla Biochemist & Geneticist emeritus McMaster University Hamilton Canada
100 Laura Mitchell Earth Scientist APEGBG Canada
101 Dr. Anne Morgan Waterloo Climate Change Entomolgist/ Univ. of (retired) Canada
102 Dr. M. Murphy Pediatrician NAMBLA Canada
103 Dr. James A. Nero D.C. General Practitioner neuromusculoskeletal medicine Coquitlam Canada
104 Anna D. Noikov B.A.B.Ed. B.A.B.Ed. Wholistic Practitioner Edmonton Canada
105 Lise Norgren Concerned Consumer Canada
106 Prof. Ann Oaks Botany (retired) Univ. Guelph Canada
107 Steve Robak Canadian Department of National Defence Canada
108 Leslirae Rotor Economist consultant Ottawa Canada
109 Dr. Bassam Ismaeil Sam Ph.D Information Systems Ismaeil Consulting Canada
110 Vere Scott ecologist Canada
111 Dr. John Scull Psychologist University of Victoria Victoria Canada
112 Dr. Carolyn A. Simmerman ND.DC Docotr. Whole Health Centre Edmonton Canada
113 Prof. David Suzuki David Suzuki Foundation Geneticist U.B.C. Canada
114 Prof. Stephen Talmage Philospher (retired) Carleton University Ottawa Canada
115 Dr. Wee Chong Tan Ph.D 5 years of reaserch and several papers on sustainable farming and the dangers of GM foods Canadian College for Chinese Studies Canada
116 Mark Thompson Ph.D student Molecular Evolutionary Genetics The University of Calgary Canada
117 Noemi Tousignant M.Sc history of science technology and medicine Canada
118 Caroll Tranchant Ph.D Enseignant chercheur Sciences et technologies des aliments Canada
119 Dr. Pierre Turcotte Ph.D Plant breeder Canada
120 John B. Van Loon M.Sc. Storage Entomologist retired Canadian Grain Commission Winnipeg PSRAST


615 Dr. Ingrid C. Northwood Biochemist Simon Fraser University
640 Thomas J. Saunders Student Environmental Science Humboldt State Univ. Arcata USA
641 Dr. Stephen Scanlan Ph.D Global inequalities international development and food security University of Memphis Department of Sociology USA
642 Dr. Derek Scholes Ph.D Geneticist New York State Dept of Health USA
643 Dr. Nancy A Schult Entomologist U of Wisconsin-Madison USA
644 Dr. Brian Schultz Ecologist Hampshire College USA
645 Dr. Kathy Schwab Health Researcher MPH RD LD Center for Health Research Portland Oregon USA
646 Prof. David Schwartzman Geochemist Howard Uni. Washington DC USA
647 John Scibetta B.Sc Protein Chromatography Amersham Pharmacia Biotech USA
648 Dr. Linda Jean Sheperd Biochemist Gaia Blessings USA
650 Prof. Michael Sheridan Ph.D Environmental Anthropologist Middlebury College USA
651 Dr. Jacob Silver Ph.D Political Scientist Social Analyst Huron Mountain Research Services USA
652 Witold Skiba Ph.D Theoretical Physics MIT USA
653 Dr. Gerald Smith Zoologist U. Michigan USA
655 Dr. John Soluri Historian of Science Carnegie Mellon U USA
656 Doreen Stabinsky Geneticist International Environmental Politics and Policy California State University at Sacrament USA
658 Emma Steen Dietician (retired) Portland USA
660 Pamela Stimler B.Sc Board Certified Internist USA
661 Prof.em Budalur Thyagarajan Ph.D organic chemistry retired USA
662 Prof. John Vandermeer Biologist Univ. Michigan Ann Arbor USA
664 Susan Vegors Psychologist Consultant Solutech Indianapolis USA
669 Paul Whitson M.Sc healthcare administrator USA
670 Dr. George M. Woodwell Director The Woods Hole Research Center USA
671 Dr. Suzanne M. Wuerthele Toxicologist Toxicology & Risk Assessment federal regulatory agency Denver USA
672 Dr. John Zamarra M.D. Cardiology Fullerton USA


Dr. Giovanni G Bazzocchi Ph.D Entomologist Agroecologist Universita di Bologna Italy
244 Dr. Stefania Biondi M.Sc Plant Physiologist University of Bologna Dept. of Biology Italy
245 Dr. Ernesto Burgio pediatrician attac Italy
246 Dr. Tiziana Camorani psicologa private Italy
247 Paola Capozzi plant and soil ecology Italy
248 Dr. Ferdinando Cerbone psicologo Italy
249 Dr Giorgio Cingolani Agricultural Economist Italy
250 Dr. Alberto Clarizia M.Sc Physicist University of Naples Italy
251 Dr. Raffaella Comito B.Sc General Practitioner holistic medicine Italy
252 Dr. Immacolata Coraggio Ph.D Plant Molecular Biologist Counseil National Research Italy
253 Dr. Bruno D'Udine Behaviour Ecologist University of Udine Italy
254 Dr. Simone De Ph.D Mathematics Combinatorics National Council of Research Italy
255 Prof. Adriano Decarli Cancer Epidermiology INST Univ. Milan Italy
256 Prof. Stefano Dumontet M.Sc soil microbiologist Universit. Basilicata Italy
257 Dr. Enzo Ferrara M.Sc Metrology in Chemistry IEN EURACHEM Italy
258 Dr. Sergio Francardo B.Sc Anthroposofical medical doctor Gruppo Medico Antroposofico Italiano Italy
259 Elena Del Grosso Geneticist Researcher Deptl Evolutionary & Exptl. Biology Univ. Bologna Bologna Italy
260 Dr. Nicolas Kropacek M.D Public Health Free Lance Researcher Italy
261 Dr. Agostino Letardi M.Sc ecotoxicologist E.N.E.A. Italy
262 Prof. Ignazio Licata Full Professor of Theoretical Physics Ist Cibernetica non lineare Italy
263 Dr. Marco Mamone Ph.D mathematician University of Perugia Italy
264 Prof. Marco Mamone Capria Ph.D mathematician historian of science epistemologist University of Perugia Italy
265 Dr. Paolo Manzelli M.Phil Research in Education on Biochemistry LRE EGO CreaNET University of Florence Italy Italy


Michael Alexander M.Phil Theoretical Physics UK
407 Chris Anthony B.Sc Qualified amateur UK
408 Janey Antoniou M.Sc Molecular Biologist UK
409 Dr. Michael Antoniou Molecular Geneticist Guy's Hospital UK
410 Paula F. Baillie-Hamilton Academic Researcher on Pesticides Perthshire UK
411 Dr. Susan Bardocz Geneticist Aberdeen UK
412 Dr. Jeremy Bartlett Plant Molecular Geneticist (formerly John Innes Institute) UK
413 Manoel Bascoi Geneticist PhD Candidate JII UK
414 Dr. David Beasley Genetic Algorithm University of Bath UK
415 Dr. David Bellamy Biologist and Broadcaster London UK
416 Lynda Birke Biologist Liverpool Uni. Veterinary School UK
417 Dr. David A.H. Birley General Medical Practitioner Swindon UK
418 Sarah Blenkinsop B.Sc Environmental Consultant/Campaigner/Organic grower Planet Services Environmental Consultancy UK
419 Gerard C. Bodeker Ed. D. Senior Clinical Lecturer in Public Health Univ. Oxford Medical School UK
420 Dr. Jeffrey Boss Cell Biologist Dept. of Physiology Bristol University UK
421 Sophie H. Bown Ph.D. Candidate Zoology Manchester Univ. UK
422 Paul Breslaw Computer Scientist Consultant Financial Research Forest Row UK
423 Dr. Allan Britton Ph.D Environmental Health and Safety UK
424 Prof. Roy Butterfield DSc.DIC CEng. MICE MIStruct.E. Civil Engineer Southampton UK
425 Dr. Alessandra Cavalletti Ph.D Research Associate Imperial College STM UK
426 Maureen Childs B.Sc Internet Developer British Computer Society UK
427 Emma Churchman B.Sc Social Scientist UK
428 Dr. Janet Cotter-Howells Environmental Geochemist Lecturer in Soil Science Aberdeen University UK
429 Dr. Stephen Cross Molecular Population Geneticist Birmingham University UK
430 Dr. Alan Currier Taxonomist IRBV UK
431 Gordon Daly Ph. D. student Gene Therapist Kennedy Inst. London UK
432 Stuart Daly Ph. D. student Transgenic group Charing Cross Hosp. UK
433 Dr. Yuliya Demydchuk Ph.D Molecular biology of producers of antibiotics Cambridge university UK
434 Dr. Mike Dodd Ecologist Open University UK
435 Prof. Jane Eberlynne M.Sc enviromental studdies conscerning health erzats peace co. UK
436 Tom Fox Amateur neurology biochemistry psychology sociology and philosophy enthusiast UK
437 Joseph A. Gari Marie Curie Research Fellow Political Ecology University of Oxford UK
438 Dr. Mike Gillman Ecologist Open University UK
439 Dr. Alassandro Gimona Research Scientist Ecology MLURI Aberdeen UK
440 Edward Goldsmith Editor The Ecologist London UK
441 Zac Goldsmith Editor The Ecologist London UK
442 Prof. Brian Goodwin Biologist Schumacher College UK
443 Lale Gurel Bec. Manager Nature – Macmillan Publishers London UK
444 Adrian Haffegee B.Eng B.Eng Electronic Engineer UK
445 Julian Haffegee M.phil Biophysicist Institute of Science in Society UK
446 Dr. Keith H. Halfacree Univ. Lecturer Geography Univ. of Wales Swansea UK
447 Dr. John E. Hammond Engineer Highfield UK
448 Dr. David J Heaf Biochemist Wales UK
449 Dr. Marion Hersch Assistive Electonic Technologies Dept. Electronics & Electrical Engineering Univ. Glasgow Glasgow Scotland UK
450 Dr. Mae-Wan Ho Geneticist and Biophysicist Open University UK
451 Dr. Caroline Hoffmann Ph.D Ecotoxicologist Centre for Human Ecology UK
452 Patrick Holden Director Soil Association UK
453 Dr. Vyvyan Howard Toxipathologist U. Liverpool UK


I guess they are all just a bunch of eneducated, ignorant Luddites too.

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/list.php

but not before pointing out that very few have solid biology credentials (#21, a designer; #17, a sociologist; #78, a podiatrist; #105, a concerned consumer; #108, economic consultant . . . ok, i'll stop there).

but, if these people are legitimate scientists, i gotta think that deep down inside they have to be just a bit embarrassed to be featured on a website that promotes:

Water Remembers? Homeopathy Explained?
New research suggests water remembers what has been dissolved in it, even after dilution beyond the point where no molecule of the original substances could remain.

that's a thoroughly debunked theory . . .


i suppose that the good news for these people is that once they've conquered the evils of gmo's it's not over for them, they're already gearing up to take on nanotechnology:

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/SO_nano.php


after, if public hysteria falters, so might those donations. . .

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/donation.php

JohnyCanuck wrote:

One of the favourite tactics of the pro-GMO side in the debate over the safety of GMOs is to denigrate anyone who questions the wisdom of unleashing GM products on the environment as being uneducated, hysteria-mongering Luddites with an irrational fear of technology and science.

I talk of Luddites in "the opposition" because I think at least some people in "the opposition" are Luddites. For instance, I feel quite comfortable in calling someone like Jeremy Rifkin a Luddite.

JohnyCanuck wrote:

Some of their scientist put out an open letter calling for the halt to the introduction of GM crops and listing their concerns re. GMOs which they feel are not being adequately addressed.

I commented on that letter earlier at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1036966#1040278

Bio-engineers can't seem to shake their white coats and laboratory mentality when it comes to dealing with the messy, disorderly, sloppy world that exists outside their controlled environments.

The biggest mistake that genetic engineers are making is that they're busy gene-tinkering with plant and animal foodstuffs instead of the millions of other species available. They keep forgetting that the folks packing their laboratory brainchildren, sweeping the floors, and sorting the goodies are likely as not to be hardworking but tired souls working long hours at a low-status job for low wages. They're not paid to be exquisitely careful.

If bio-technicians would start putting their miracle-drug or industrial chemical genes inside the DNA of less-appealing plants like the Bois d'Arc apple or the heretofore lethal members of the nightshade family instead of maize, potatoes, wheat, etc., the rest of us would be a bit safer.

I can just see it now, the G-M "Safe to Eat" Toadstool....

Animal
Drug/protein
Use

sheep
alpha1 anti trypsin
deficiency leads to emphysema

sheep
CFTR
treatment of cystic fibrosis

sheep
tissue plasminogen activator
treatment of thrombosis

sheep
factor VIII, IX
treatment of hemophilia

sheep
fibrinogen
treatment of wound healing

pig
tissue plasminogen activator
treatment of thrombosis

pig
factor VIII, IX
treatment of hemophilia

goat
human protein C
treatment of thrombosis

goat
antithrombin 3
treatment of thrombosis

goat
glutamic acid decarboxylase
treatment of type 1 diabetes

goat
Pro542
treatment of HIV

cow
alpha-lactalbumin
anti-infection
<[br />b]cow
factor VIII
treatment of hemophilia

cow
fibrinogen
wound healing

cow
collagen I, collagen II
tissue repair, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

cow
lactoferrin
treatment of GI tract infection, treatment of infectious arthritis

cow
human serum albumin
maintains blood volume

chicken, cow, goat
monoclonal antibodies
other vaccine production

speaking to the point raised in post #4 that GM crops offer no benefits to farmers or consumers:

"Transgenic animals are costly to produce. The cost of making one transgenic animal ranges from $20,000 to $300,000, and only a small portion of the attempts (0.02 to 5%) succeed in producing a transgenic animal.

A Wisconsin firm that clones transgenic calves for human pharmaceutical production estimated that one transgenic animal can produce, in its lifetime, $200 to $300 million worth of pharmaceuticals. . . . a herd of 600 transgenic cows could supply the worldwide demand of some pharmaceuticals, for example, human serum albumin used in the treatment of burns and traumatic injuries.

you seriously want to tell me that a farmer wouldn't be interested in a cow worth $300,000,000?

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/animal_pharming.htm


and what about these lovable guys?











p.s. for bonus points, which of the three IS NOT a gmo?

treepig writes about sheep, pigs, cows, goats, chickens...

But I assume none of these are currently being used commercially (that is, while some of the products listed are commercially available from recombinant sources, the sources are not mammalian but rather, recombinant micro-organisms), is that correct?

treepig writes:

you seriously want to tell me that a farmer wouldn't be interested in a cow worth $300,000,000?

That's even better than the 20 million dollar duck :-).

And, in response to your very easy question, I pick door number three: the featherless chicken.

Addendum: I remember when that monstruosity came out how folk liked to point to it as an example of the horrors of GMO (apparently unaware that the monstruosity was achieved through conventional breeding).

On edit: Addendum.

and perhaps of interest to the i-sis crowd based on the information i posted in post #12 above?

more seriously, the "pharming" products appear to be making their way to market but are not quite there yet if this company is indicative of the larger field:

http://www.pharming.com/Products/businessunits.html

Product
Application
Status
Recombinant human C1
inhibitor
Hereditary Angioedema


Phase II
hFIB tissue sealants
Hemostasis in Surgery and Trauma
Preclinical
Protein production technology
Manufacturing of Therapeutic Proteins Available for Licensing

Other Products Application Status
Recombinant human
collagen Surgical Applications Preclinical
Recombinant human
lactoferrin Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Applications Phase I completed

But that was canned because of bogus and misleading claims of how it would render entire forests, prairies and non-GM fields of crops sterile.

Total dependence on Monsanto for your seed stock? No, thank you.

that has some 350 or so posts by now.

(and no, i'm not providing a link to it on purpose because i don't want to subject anyone (who hasn't already stumbled into it) to all that drivel)

the point that i'm trying to make is the fact that a good number of people, even posters on DU (who i assume are of above-average intelligence and have exceptional critical thinking skills), speaks volumes to the level of scientific illiteracy in this country. and in the case of using gmo's for agricultural purposes, there is a huge amount of irony (or perhaps poetic justice) in the fact republican industrialists who stand to gain the most financially from the widespread adoption of gmo's are prevented from reaping such benefits because they have fostered policies to keep the general population woefully uneducated. the specific issue addressed in this thread - the possibility of genetically engineered genes escaping from there host organism and sweeping through the environment with devasting consequences - provides an excellent example of where a sound understanding of basic biology would dispel alot of the hysterical rantings of the anti-gmo folks (of course, there are many legitimate risks involved with gmo's, but rational debate seems to have been overshadowed with supersitition. anyhow, back to the topic at hand:

first, it is almost certain that such genes will escape from their intended host, and be picked up by other organisms.

this statement can be made based on the following facts:

1. genes are constantly being shared between organisms, even across kingdoms

2. the biochemical mechanisms by which genes are shared in the natural environment are the exact same methods used by the genetic engineers who make gmo's - therefore a solid argument can be made that genetic engineer's aren't doing anything "unnatural"

second, it is equally certain that the environmental consequences will be negligible.

this statement can be made based on the following facts:

1. the genes used by genetic engineers all exist in the natural environment already - therefore, if they hold the capacity to sweep through nature wreaking havoc everywhere, they almost certainly would have.

2. it is a basic fact that the environment shapes genetics (and not vice versa as the gmo-alarmists would have one believe). dna is basically a "blank slate" that can be adapted to create whatever genes an organism needs to survive. for example, there is anti-freeze protein in fish that live in sub-32F water. interestingly, mother nature created an anti-freeze protein found in one such fish from a protease (a protease is a protein that cuts ups proteins (but magically enough, not itself)), which is a very different function. there are numerous such examples of the environment shaping genetics (in fact, every thing that you see that is alive is an example).


on the other hand, genes that are not needed for an organism to survive are dispensed with. for example, genes that convey resistance to round-up will only be maintained in organisms that are regulary exposed to round-up (be they the crops the farmer plants, or "weeds" around the periphery of the field that have been contaminated with the resistance gene). plants further removed from the site of application will soon figure out they're wasting their precious energy by expressing the resistance gene and will silence it (by one of many molecular mechanisms at their disposal).

X-men unite!