Dear Colleague,

*This is a CLARION CALL*

*All doctors are surely concerned about the nation's health and no doctor can remain oblivious to the current health issues, especially as they themselves may be at risk.*

While the world debates the global warming, increasing food prices, diversion of food crop areas to bio-fuel crops, a silent scourge is looming large on the Indian horizon-the scourge of GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) foods and the related grave health implications.

GM foods are being developed and pushed into developing countries in the name of helping them to handle the 'hunger' of teeming poor millions. The ostensible suggestion is that GM crops would increase yields per acre, will be cheaper, will contain desirable contents like proteins in higher proportions and will be pest resistant hence more economical.

The facts are unfortunately the REVERSE of above claims.

Not only this, non-food GM crops like cotton, are already released. Their products/ residues are already in the food-chain through animals feeding on the seed/oil-cakes, grazing in such fields. There is a popular concept among our so called well-informed society and intelligentsia ( read Policy Planners) that India can not continue to be retrograde and must walk with the 'Brave New World Order' and hence must be receptive to the new scientific breakthroughs, especially when it relates to mitigation of hunger and meeting the nutritional needs of it's billion people, more so when it comes from technologically advanced countries like the USA.

Dear doctor, consider the following :-

 1. Most EU countries, by and large, have banned or restricted GM foods or GM crops within their borders. The latest is the French Parliament resolution dated 14 May 2008.

 2. The British Medical Association called for a moratorium on planting of Genetically Modified crops forcing the Govt to consider proposals for research on possible health risks of GM foods, as far back as 1999.

 3. Numerous European Supermarket chains announced that they would not sell GM foods. There is no system of labeling of GM foods for sale in the food stores possibly due to pressure from Bio-tech Corporations pushing such foods/ products.

 4. Two German Universities have called off Field trials of GM crops following intense public protests as of May 2008.

 5. There is mounting evidence of serious health problems among humans involved in cultivation/ handling of GM crops like Bt cotton.

 6. There is considerable evidence of intense morbidity/ higher mortality among animals feeding on GM fields/ crop products, leading to indirect effects on human health through food chain.

 7. There is considerable laboratory evidence of serious systemic effects on lab animals fed on GM foods in controlled studies.

 8. There is evidence of retention of GM DNA in human gut bacteria with potential to contaminate human DNA.

 9. There is evidence that GM crops contaminate non-GM plants by cross pollination leading to irreversible and progressive damage to biodiversity and genetic pool of the nation.

 10. There are GRAVE economic and socio-political consequences of unregulated introduction of GM crops into India.

In this connection please peruse the two documents below. In fact you must do that, to be aware, as a
responsible citizen of India.

 11. Doctors not only have to be prepared to handle the onslaught of the new set of syndromes related to GM foods, they and their families are themselves at high risk of the same as there is no system of LABELLING of imported GM foods which are already on the shelves of food shops in India as per media reports.

*In view of all this, dear doctor, and to know more about the health issues related to GM foods, please join in on 01June2008 at 10AM at the Wheat Auditorium, Punjab Agriculture university,Ludhiana ,
where most prominent scientists will bring forth the scientific aspects of what we must know about this new health threat. Respected personalities like Dr LS Chawla, former VC of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences & President 'Indian Doctors for Peace and Development', will be participating.*

Further communication will follow.

With Regards,

Dr GPI SINGH,
PROF & HEAD OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE
DMC & HOSPITAL
LUDHIANA (Tel 98155 42987) and other Doctors