Yes, GMOs Are Safe (Another Major Study Confirms)

This post was originally published on Forbes on May 20, 2016

Post written by Kate Hall. Kate Hall is managing director of the Council for Biotechnology Information and GMO Answers spokesperson.
 

Consumers all around the world get a lot of conflicting information about genetically engineered (GE) crops and the food derived from them. A myriad of claims about the benefits and potential risks associated with GE crops and their impact on agricultural, environmental, human health and economic outcomes have created a confusing landscape that is further complicated by evolving technology in the field.

For those with lingering questions about GE crops and food, there is good news. An exhaustive new study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, found “no substantiated evidence of a difference in risks to human health between current commercially available genetically engineered (GE) crops and conventionally bred crops,” and no conclusive causal evidence of environmental problems tied to genetically modified crops. The report, Genetically Engineered Crops: Past Experience and Future Prospects authored by the Academies’ study committee, was designed to address some of the toughest and most contentious questions surrounding GMOs by assessing the scientific basis of purported negative effects and benefits of GE crops as well as the potential implication of new technology and emerging methods in genetic engineering in agriculture.

To do this, the committee conducted an exhaustive review of evidence amassed over the last twenty years, including over 900 studies and other publications. They also heard from 80 speakers at three public meetings and 15 webinars and reviewed more than 700 comments and documents submitted by the public. Since the only GE characteristics in widespread commercial use are those that provide insect resistance and herbicide tolerance, the committee’s examination focused on the long-term data available on the most commonly grown GE crops with one or both of these traits: soybeans, cotton, and corn.

Below are some of the report’s key findings on the impact of GE crops on both agriculture and the environment and human health.

Agriculture and the Environment

The committee investigated evidence of the impact of GE crops on a wide range of issues including crop yield, abundance and diversity of insects, weed species distribution, insecticide and herbicide use, and insect and weed resistance. Overall, the report found “no conclusive evidence of cause-and-effect relationships between GE crops and environmental problems.” However, the committee recognized that weed and insect resistance related to GE crops is increasing, calling for more attention and efforts to mitigate this problem.

The committee’s review of available data also showed that insect resistant and herbicide tolerant GE traits had a positive impact on crop yield. Insect-resistant varieties of maize and cotton were shown to contribute to a reduction in crop losses, and herbicide-tolerant crops contributed to greater yield where weed control was improved.

Human Health

Many people have questions about whether consuming GE crops and the foods derived from them can negatively impact human health or lead to higher incidence of specific health problems, including cancer, obesity, gastrointestinal tract illness, kidney disease and allergies. To assess these concerns, the report’s authoring committee examined epidemiological time-series data from the U.S. and Canada, where GE food has been consumed for over twenty years, with datasets from the United Kingdom and Western Europe, where GE crops are strictly regulated and GE food is not widely consumed. The committee found no evidence of differences among countries in specific health problems after the introduction of GE foods.

These results might come as a surprise to some, but the reality is that today’s GE products are the most researched and tested agricultural products in history and this report builds on a large and growing body of evidence that supports the safety of GMOs. In the U.S., GE crops are repeatedly and extensively tested for consumer and environmental safety, and depending on the trait, those tests are reviewed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. The European Union has also conducted numerous studies on their safety. In fact, every major scientific body and regulatory agency in the world has reviewed the research on GMOs and openly declared crop biotechnology and the foods currently available for sale to be safe.

Even in light of all of this evidence, genetic engineering in agriculture remains a major topic of debate that continues to elicit a wide range of questions and emotions across our society.

At GMO Answers we are committed to improving transparency and addressing tough questions to help the public better understand GMOs and how our food is grown. We applaud the National Academies and the authoring committee for providing such a thorough, independent and objective examination of the topic. It will no doubt serve as a valuable resource for policy makers, the scientific community and the public.