New Details Emerge About China and US’ ‘Secret Testing Of Genetically Modified Rice On Children’

Posted by Alcyone _Featured_, GMOs Friday, September 14th, 2012

Follow-up: GM Rice Testing

To follow-up on my commentary last week in the article Why the Outrage? — US University Confirms It Used Children In GMO Trial, new details on this story that first appeared to be drawn in nuanced shades of gray have emerged to give starker contrast that now more closely resembles black and white.

The excellent coverage below will bring you up to speed on the latest details and developments in this well-publicized case of questionable scientific ethics.

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By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Genetically manipulated Golden rice has been proposed as a solution to vitamin A deficiency

(Daily Mail) China’s health authorities are investigating allegations that genetically modified rice has been tested on Chinese children as part of a research project.

A recent scientific publication suggested that researchers, backed by the US Department of Agriculture, fed experimental genetically engineered golden rice to 24 children in China aged between six and eight years old.

The environmental group Greenpeace is demanding a stop to field trials of the genetically enriched rice, which has been proposed as a solution to vitamin A deficiency, as it says the rice carries environmental and health risks.

China is the world’s largest grower of genetically modified (GMO) cotton and the top importer of GMO soybeans but, while Beijing has already approved home-grown strains of GMO rice, it remains cautious about introducing the technology on a commercial basis amid widespread public concern about food safety.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention investigation came after a report last month by environmental group Greenpeace claimed that a U.S. Department of Agriculture-backed study used 24 Chinese children aged between six and eight to test genetically modified ‘golden rice’.