Transcript Questions

Webinar 3, GMO Speaker
Training
How to expose the lack of
credibility of GMO proponents, and
expose their spin
How to ask questions
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Raise hands and I’ll “call” on you
Questions
Is there a release date for your new
DVD?
 Does the DVD address the health risks?
 I would like to show it as part of the
October education effort and I need to
reserve a venue months in advance.
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Question
Is the PPT available for the public?
 Can’t access the recorded session?
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Questions
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Cloned cows, and milk from cloned
cows?
Volunteer sought to
Compile the script into a word doc
 Put in the slides next to the script
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Softening words of Science
No “proof”
 Suggests
 Preliminary evidence
 Converging lines of evidence indicate
 Fed, not led
 “Wild” soybeans as controls
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Skin prick test
“One patient had a
positive skin test
result to GMO
soybeans only.”
Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, 2005
Mice fed GM soy
Pancreas
 Reduced digestive
enzymes
 Altered cell structure
 Altered gene expression
Journal of Anatomy, 2002
European Journal of Histochemistry, 2003
Possible causes for increase allergies
 Digestion impaired
 New allergen created
 Known allergen increased
 Herbicide residues increased
 Roundup Ready protein may be allergenic
 Roundup Ready protein produced inside us
(Continuously)
Relative priority of evidence
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Not all the points are of equal import
Bt is particularly strong
Anecdotal evidence is important for the public,
but not well received in certain scientific circles
Ermakova’s Russian rat study has
weaknesses, but overwhelming statistics
Increasing US disease rates don’t imply
causality, so we need to demonstrate we know
that. But it is important to raise the question.
Legal ways to implicate
Allegedly
 Seems to
 Appears to
 My opinion
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Style points
Model optimism
 No need to emphasize negative
emotions. The facts are potent enough.
 Can be humorous in the face of gloomy
details
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Find FDA Documents
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http://biointegrity.org/list.html
Agency scientists
warned of:
Allergens
Toxins
New diseases
Nutritional problems
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GM plants could “contain unexpected
high concentrations of plant
toxicants.”
“The possibility of unexpected,
accidental changes in genetically
engineered plants justifies a limited
traditional toxicological study.”
FDA Toxicology Group
1. “Increased levels of known naturally
occurring toxins”,
2. “Appearance of new, not previously
identified” toxins,
3. Increased tendency to gather “toxic
substances from the environment” such
as “pesticides or heavy metals”, and
4. “Undesirable alterations in the levels of
nutrients.”
They recommended testing every GM food
“before it enters the marketplace.”
Division of Food Chemistry and Technology
“Residues of plant
constituents or toxicants in
meat and milk products may
pose human food safety
concerns.”
Gerald Guest, Director, FDA’s
Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
FDA declares GMOs no different
“The agency is not aware of
any information showing that
foods derived by these new
methods differ from other
foods in any meaningful or
uniform way.”
“Statement of Policy”
May 29, 1992
Food and Drug Administration
Secret FDA
documents
confirmed that
the facts
contradicted the
statement
What was said within FDA
“The processes of genetic engineering
and traditional breeding are different,
and according to the technical
experts in the agency, they lead to
different risks.”
Linda Kahl, FDA compliance officer
By “trying to force an ultimate
conclusion that there is no
difference between foods
modified by genetic engineering
and foods modified by traditional
breeding practices,” the agency
was “trying to fit a square peg
into a round hole.”
Linda Kahl, FDA compliance officer
“Animal feeds derived from
genetically modified plants present
unique animal and food safety
concerns.”
“I would urge you to eliminate
statements that suggest that the lack
of information can be used as
evidence for no regulatory concern.”
Gerald Guest, Director, FDA’s
Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
“There is a profound difference between the types of
unexpected effects from traditional breeding and genetic
engineering,”
“There is no certainty that [breeders] will be able to pick up
effects that might not be obvious.”
“This is the industry’s pet idea, namely that there are no
unintended effects that will raise the FDA’s level of concern.
But time and time again, there is no data to back up their
contention.”
FDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl
“What has happened to the scientific elements of
this document? Without a sound scientific base to
rest on, this becomes a broad, general, ‘What do I
have to do to avoid trouble’-type document. . . . It
will look like and probably be just a political
document. . . . It reads very pro-industry,
especially in the area of unintended effects.”
FDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl
‘Based on the safety and nutritional assessment you have
conducted, it is our understanding that Monsanto has
concluded that corn products derived from this new variety
are not materially different in composition, safety, and
other relevant parameters from corn currently on the
market, and that the genetically modified corn does not
raise issues that would require premarket review or
approval by FDA. . . . as you are aware, it is Monsanto’s
responsibility to ensure that foods marketed by the firm
are safe...’”
FDA Letter to Monsanto, 1996
Who overruled
the scientists?
Michael Taylor
• In charge of FDA policy
• Former Monsanto attorney
• Later Monsanto vice president
• Now US Food Safety Czar
Antibiotic Resistant Genes
“IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS HEALTH
HAZARD TO INTRODUCE A GENE
THAT CODES FOR ANTIBIOTIC
RESISTANCE INTO THE NORMAL
FLORA OF THE GENERAL
POPULATION.”
Director, Division of Anti-infective Drug Products
Dr. Arpad
Pusztai
GM potatoes
damaged rats
(10 or 110 days)
Rats developed
• Potentially pre-cancerous
cell growth in the digestive
tract
• Smaller brains, livers and
testicles
• Partial atrophy of the liver,
and
• Immune system damage
Lancet, 1999 & others
Intestinal Wall
Non-GM
GM
Stomach lining
Non-GM
GM
Other stifled scientists
Ecologists can’t access seeds
 Turkish scientist transferred
 GM Nation Debate: Threats and block
voting
 Carasco on birth defects
 G.E. Seralini
 Mae-Wan Ho
 Richard Burroughs
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Monsanto’s own former employees
Kirk Azevedo
 Scientist relating rbGH story and rigged
research story
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Rigged Research
rbGH
 Soil protein
 Journal of Nutrition case study
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Transfer of
transgenes
to gut
bacteria is
optimized
• Bacterial
sequences are
easier to transfer
to bacteria
• The gene’s
promoter works
in bacteria
Chickens fed
Liberty Link corn
died at twice
the rate
Industry study
Death of baby rats
>50%
10%
Irina Ermakova, 2005-2007
Control
GM-soy Non-GM soy
GM-soy group
Control Non-GM
soy
Ermakova Irina, 2005-2007
Mortality
of rat
offspring
for
one day
GM-soy
Rat litters at
9-days from
mothers fed
non-GM
or GM soy.
Non-GM soy group
GM-soy group
Irina Ermakova,
2005-2007
19-day old rats
Larger rat is from control group
smaller from GM-soy group.
Irina Ermakova,
2005-2007
Preliminary evidence
Rat offspring did not conceive
When the entire
Russian facility began using
GM soy-based feed,
infant mortality
for all rats hit 55.3%.
L-tryptophan produced by GM bacteria
Killed about 100 and caused
5,000-10,000 to fall sick
The epidemic was
discovered
because the
disease
1. Was new, with unique symptoms
2. Acute
3. Came on quickly
Myths
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Feed the World
Yield
Safe
Lower chemical use
Profits
Papaya
Well regulated
Golden rice
Here to stay
Handling a pro-GMO audient
Very welcoming
 Invite them to meet afterwards
 Refer to teams if scientists with differing
opinions
 Sometimes the audience will try to hush
someone
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Homework
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Present the 20 minute talk and take
feedback
Speakers Bureau
We won’t post names
 We will refer inquiries
 Based on
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Experience
 Credentials
 Audience feedback
 Our own review (video)
 Panels
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Speakers Bureau
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Speakers vs Presenter/Hosts (Q & A)
Sept 8 webinar
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Activists Circle
Homework
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Webinar 4 is:
The large scope of the problem
 Action steps
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Homework
Contamination blog
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/util
ity/showArticle/?objectID=2527
 Glyphosate 2-pager on /webinardocs
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Homework
The Campaign for Healthier Eating in
America
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/G
MFree/CampaignforHealthierEatinginAm
erica/index.cfm
 3 minute video: What Can We Do
Home page
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/G
MFree/Home/index.cfm
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Homework
Supermarket News
 http://supermarketnews.com/viewpoints/
stakeholders-gmo-debate-prepare1207/index.html
 Non-GMO Project website
 www.nongmoproject.org
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Homework
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New attack website:
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffreysmith/pseudo-scientific-defense_b_528477.html
 Anniversary of a Whistleblowing Hero
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffreysmith/anniversary-of-a-whistleb_b_675817.html
 Biotech Propaganda Cooks Dangers Out of GM
Potatoes
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffreysmith/biotech-propaganda-cooks_b_675957.html
Homework
Practice the 20 minute presentation with
a buddy
 Offer/receive feedback (start with
positive)
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Practice Buddies
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Listen for:
Over statements
 Humor
 Enthusiasm and hope
 Confidence
 Authority
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