A News Review piece in this weekend’s Sunday Times features an interview with Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Gideon Henderson, as part of a wider focus on the potential of the gene editing (GE) technology.
Professor Henderson explained how the balance for the arguments in favour of GE food is currently shifting, with the general public increasingly accepting that risks are low, making the argument that this process is much closer to the process of traditional breeding and carries many fewer risks to human health and to the environment.
The potential of the technology has also been discussed, for instance in the contexts of its potential positive impact on the environment and biodiversity. This claim is also supported by other scientists.
The piece also references our recent GE consultation, which closed earlier this month. The responses to this are now being analysed, with a government response to be published in due course.
1 comment
Comment by Lar Fermor posted on
You people are unbelievable. This is more propaganda to fuel your support for AgroChemical business at the expense of our health with no evidence to support your claims. For a Gov/Health sector that's all about evidence-based science, how can you expect us to take you seriously? No evidence provided just 'this claim is supported by other scientists'. Yeah, we know, the ones that work for the Agrochemical Industry.
The real science on this matter has been provided by genuine scientists. Have a look online @ GMOResearch.org. It's all peer-reviewed and it doesn't support your claims. Where's your evidence to suggest that 'the general public increasingly accept that risks are low'? They've just been locked up for a year and filled with fear, so of course, they'll have an untested genetically modified vaccine so they can get their lives back.
I can only guess that your Chief Scientific Advisor has Dementia and believes more in his paycheque than science. Karma is real my friends. I'm glad we're not on the same team. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Happy for you to contact me for further discussions on this matter. Would love you to publish my comment.
May God protect the people of the UK from DEFRA and its officials.