Printed in the Maui News

Letters to the Editor, Friday, April 27, 2007

Beware Of Information On Web Sites With An Agenda

Sally Irwin’s April 22 Viewpoint gave a very good illustration of the need to look at the science on GMOs and to base your conclusions on the cumulative studies, reports and findings of the majority of the world’s scientific bodies and not on the concerns of a few individuals.

A recent letter listed the qualifications of a Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, whose ISIS Web site only deals in anti-biotech, that is, anti-GMO issues. This is not peer-reviewed science. It is difficult, if not impossible, to find any information supporting plant biotechnology (GMOs) on this biased Web site. Dr. Ho is well known for selection of questionable data that only expresses her predetermined opinion on matters opposing plant biotechnology.

She is a prolific writer of articles opposing biotech. In a recent press release, Dr. Ho referred to a Canadian study, done by questionnaire, on the use of several pesticides on farms; she claimed that glyphosate (Roundup) exposure doubled spontaneous abortions. There was no sampling or analysis of any of the pesticides mentioned in the study. How is it possible to single out one pesticide from all the other pesticides as a probable cause of anything in this study? Answer: You can’t.

In spite of Dr. Ho’s press releases, the EPA, WHO and reviews by the EC, Japan and Canada have all found glyphosate to be noncarcinogenic to humans.

To see a Web site that contains balanced information, go to http://www.agbioworld.org/.

Don Gerbig
Lahaina