From: Rochella Cooper [cooper@pdq.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 4:49 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Re: Docket 00N-1396 & Docket 00D-1598



GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PRODUCTS 
MUST BE LABELED AND TESTED FOR SAFETY! 

This is a request that you..... 

*  Require mandatory pre-market safety testing 
*  Require pre-market environmental review 
*  Require mandatory labeling of GE foods 
*  Encourage voluntary labeling of non-GE foods 
*  Require a more than a letter of notification prior to the 
  marketing of a GE food 
*  Ensure public access to adequate information 
  for independent review 


* The FDA must require mandatory pre-market comprehensive 
 environmental review. Unlike conventional pollutants, 
 where a given amount of pollutant causes a limited amount 
 of damage, a small number of mutant genes could have a 
 population explosion and reproduce forever, causing 
 unlimited and irreparable damage. 

* The FDA must require mandatory pre-market long-term health 
 testing. GE products could be toxic, cause allergic 
 responses, have lower nutritional value, and compromise 
 immune responses in consumers. 

* The FDA must require mandatory labeling of GE products. 
 Without mandatory labeling, neither consumers nor health 
 professionals will know if an allergic or toxic reaction 
 was the result of a genetically engineered food. Consumers 
 would be deprived of the critical knowledge needed to hold 
 food producers liable should any of these novel products 
 be hazardous. 

* The FDA must end its cozy relationship with the industries 
 it purports to be regulating. People have been allowed to 
 work for a biotech company, then work for the FDA writing the 
 regulatory rules on that company's product, then go back to 
 working for the company.  Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory 
 committee meetings had at least one conflict of interest. 


    Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 1:01 PM
    Subject: Docket 00N-1396 & Docket 00D-1598
    
    
    
    
    GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PRODUCTS 
    MUST BE LABELED AND TESTED FOR SAFETY! 
    
    This is a request that you..... 
    
    *  Require mandatory pre-market safety testing 
    *  Require pre-market environmental review 
    *  Require mandatory labeling of GE foods 
    *  Encourage voluntary labeling of non-GE foods 
    *  Require a more than a letter of notification prior to the 
      marketing of a GE food 
    *  Ensure public access to adequate information 
      for independent review 
    
    
    * The FDA must require mandatory pre-market comprehensive 
     environmental review. Unlike conventional pollutants, 
     where a given amount of pollutant causes a limited amount 
     of damage, a small number of mutant genes could have a 
     population explosion and reproduce forever, causing 
     unlimited and irreparable damage. 
    
    * The FDA must require mandatory pre-market long-term health 
     testing. GE products could be toxic, cause allergic 
     responses, have lower nutritional value, and compromise 
     immune responses in consumers. 
    
    * The FDA must require mandatory labeling of GE products. 
     Without mandatory labeling, neither consumers nor health 
     professionals will know if an allergic or toxic reaction 
     was the result of a genetically engineered food. Consumers 
     would be deprived of the critical knowledge needed to hold 
     food producers liable should any of these novel products 
     be hazardous. 
    
    * The FDA must end its cozy relationship with the industries 
     it purports to be regulating. People have been allowed to 
     work for a biotech company, then work for the FDA writing the 
     regulatory rules on that company's product, then go back to 
     working for the company.  Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory 
     committee meetings had at least one conflict of interest. 
    
    Sincerely, 
    Rochella Cooper
    President
    Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides