Patrick Wall- We cannot force-feed EU citizens with GM food

We cannot force-feed EU citizens with GM food

Interview with Professor Patrick Wall
Former Chair
European Food Safety Authority

Recorded 2 December 2008
download transcript • press release

Part 1/3: Click here or watch below (8:18):

Questions: What is your view of GM crops? How does EFSA authorize GMOs today? Does the European Commission ever pressure EFSA to adopt a particular conclusion, or fast-track a favourable GM opinion?

---

Part 2/3: Click here or watch below (9:58):

Questions: Can current scientific knowledge really predict the long-term impacts of genetic modification on the modified organisms, and on the livestock, wildlife, humans and ecosystems in which they are contained? Do you recommend any improvements in the risk assessment process? Does EFSA carry out risk management as well as risk assessment? How do the GMO approvals processes differ in the USA and Europe? Is the American GMO approvals process trustworthy? What do you think about the biotech companies' practice of not disclosing the raw data from their GM risk assessments? Should this data not be published to enable member states and independent scientists to conduct replicable science?

---

Part 3/3: Click here or watch below (8:24):

Questions: What do you think of the demand for mandatory labelling of meat, poultry and dairy produce from livestock fed on GM ingredients, to enable consumer choice and traceability, for postmarket monitoring and long-term epidemiological studies? The biotech companies claim Americans have been eating GM for years without any problem. Isn't this claim ridiculous without the labelling required for traceability? Should EFSA not require the applicant companies to provide the sequence of trans-genes and the whole genome of their GM crops? What is your view of GMO seed patents? What should European member states do if they want to keep GM crops out of their countries, or if they want EFSA to implement transparent and acceptable risk assessments? Should such countries then lobby the Commission instead of EFSA? What is the best GMO strategy for the future of Irish food and farming?

Professor Patrick Wall (MB, BOA, BCh, MVB, MBA, MRCVS) was the Chair of the European Food Safety Authority Management Board from September 2006 - June 2008. EFSA (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/) is the EU Agency mandated by the European Commission to provide its opinion on the safety of conventional and genetically modified animal feed and food for the entire food and feed supply chains, and on issues directly impacting on these such as animal welfare, animal health and plant health.

Prof. Wall is Associate Professor of Public Health in University College Dublin's School of Public Health and Population Sciences which hosts the National Nutrition Surveillance Centre . His teaching and research interests include food borne diseases, lifestyle related diseases and health damaging consumer behaviour. He is a co-director of the UCD Centre for Behaviour and Health . He was the first Chief Executive of the Irish Food Safety Authority which is currently run by Dr. John O'Brien, a former Director of the biotech industry lobby group, International Life Sciences Institute! Prof. Wall was one of seven non-Chinese nationals on the committee overseeing food safety arrangements for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He is also the Chairperson of the (Irish) Mental Health Commission's Research Committee, and is a member of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's Healthy Eating Guidelines steering committee.

Web site: Professor Patrick Wall

Retirado do sítio GMO-Free Ireland