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years a minimum three billion deaths will result." One and virtually all the African countries and 26 European billion of these deaths will be due to starvation, and two —_- Union countries have fought the US for nearly 18 years to billion as a result of preventable and degenerative diseases introduce mandatory labelling of GMOs. The US of undernutrition, e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disease and _fallaciously considers GMOs to be equivalent to non- diabetes.'>:' GMOs, based solely on a 1992 Executive Order from then- The foisting of degraded, demineralised, pesticide-filled | President George H. W. Bush. Consequently, no pre- and irradiated foods on consumers is the fastest and most market safety testing is conducted on any GMOs before efficient way to cause a profitable surge in malnutrition __ they are released into the food chain in the US. The FDA and preventable and degenerative diseases, for which the __ refuses to review any safety data except to conduct a single most appropriate course of action is toxic pharmaceutical __ preliminary review early in the organism's development. treatment. Death for profit is the new name of the game. Opponents of the US policy prohibiting labelling of Big Pharma has been waiting for Codex harmonisation _ genetically modified food conclude that the US does not for years. An incognisant world want GMOs labelled because of the population physically degenerating at an potential legal ramifications for and accelerated pace, providing a spike in liability of manufacturers and the US revenue, is the ultimate goal for the government if these foods can be furtive and egregious controllers of this traced. If millions of people are corrupt trade organisation purportedly . . harmed or killed due to the instability looking out for the health of consumers. Some FDA scientists of the inserted DNA promoter viruses h tedl d and marker bacteria when interacting Fighting Back with Private ave repeatedly warne with the dynamic and fluid structure of Standards . the human body, then millions of Rima Laibow, MD, medical director about releasing GMOs lawsuits may result. But if these for the Natural Solutions Foundation, into the general food GMOs are totally untraceable, then has brought legal action against the US corporate or government liability government and continues to attend supply because of the cannot be assessed and the health of every Codex meeting as a public d b hey h the entire population suffers. Some observer while fighting for our angers, ut t ey have FDA scientists have repeatedly health freedom. She has also been been ignored or warned about releasing GMOs routinely overruled. meeting with delegates from into the general food supply various countries to make them because of the dangers, but they aware of Private Standards, which have been ignored or routinely allow countries to draft food overruled. standards which are safer and Prior to the Geneva meeting, the higher than those mandated by Codex Committee on Food Codex. Obviously, drafting safer Labelling met in Ottawa, Canada standards is not a difficult task, and (28 April to 2 May 2008). The many countries can seemingly meeting concluded with several circumvent the flawed and pro—mandatory GMO labelling irrevocable guidelines that Codex nations angry that the committee is attempting to implement.” had not objectively analysed the empirical research, prepared by the South Africa delegation, detailing the Battle over GM Labelling dangers of GMOs. This document delineated the need for The latest Codex meeting in Geneva concluded with mandatory labelling of GMOs, but was ignored and some interesting outcomes. Some long-simmering — subsequently withdrawn due to US pressure. As a result, acrimony began to surface as the US continued to force several countries planned to scrap the requirements of forward the biased agendas of Big Pharma, Big Chema, Codex and adopt their own labelling system for GMOs in Big Agribusiness and the like without considering the _ an effort to curtail the spread of "lethal" food. This became input of many other countries. Typically, if the US does a real quandary for FAO and WHO. not want a country's input, the host country of the meeting According to Dr Laibow, at the recent Geneva meeting simply denies visas to official delegates. Several countries © FAO and WHO finally stepped in and decided to object to this practice and stated that because of this and undertake a program to identify /ow-level contamination other reasons, decisions made by Codex in their absence — of GMOs in food. do not have international legitimacy. The definition of low-level contamination will still One major point of contention is the US and the Codex _—_ depend on each country's standards. For example, the US A limantacinn Dammianian la ataunnn en farnal ta allay Battle over GM Labelling The latest Codex meeting in Geneva concluded with some interesting outcomes. Some long-simmering acrimony began to surface as the US continued to force forward the biased agendas of Big Pharma, Big Chema, Big Agribusiness and the like without considering the input of many other countries. Typically, if the US does not want a country's input, the host country of the meeting simply denies visas to official delegates. Several countries object to this practice and stated that because of this and other reasons, decisions made by Codex in their absence do not have international legitimacy. One major point of contention is the US and the Codex Alimentarius Commission's staunch refusal to allow labelling of GMOs. Japan, Norway, Russia, Switzerland 18 ¢ NEXUS Some FDA scientists about releasing GMOs into the general food supply because of the dangers, but they have been ignored or routinely overruled. Continued on page 80 www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2008