from the ABC

Emergency GM law slammed

By Anna Salleh, ABC Science Online

New emergency powers that allow Australian authorities to fast-track the release of genetically modified (GM) organisms, could pose unacceptable risks, say critics.

According to a Bill passed by the Senate this week, the Federal Health Minister could hypothetically order the rapid approval of a GM vaccine to fend off a possible bird flu pandemic, or a GM bacterium to 'eat' an oil spill threatening the environment.

But critics are concerned that emergency powers in The Gene Technology Amendment Bill 2007 could lead to inadequately tested GM organisms being released into the environment.

"There's a very real danger that the cure could be worse than the disease," said Australian Greens senator Rachel Siewert.

"We do not want to create another cane toad."

The Department of Health disagrees, saying the minister will only be allowed to declare an emergency release of a GM organism if he or she is convinced there is an "actual or imminent threat" and the action will be effective.

It also says the minister is required to consult states and territories. Officials such as the gene technology regulator, chief medical officer, chief veterinary officer or the chief plant protection officer are also required to advise.

But Senator Siewert says the Bill does not contain enough detail on the circumstances that could justify fast tracking the release of a GM organism, leaving it up to the minister and a handful of advisers.

"We appreciate that there may be a need for emergency provisions for medical emergencies," she said.

"But we feel the legislation is far too open for interpretation."

Senator Siewert says the Bill should have specified something about the size of the threat that would trigger an emergency, such as how many people, or what area of the environment, would be affected.

But the Health Department says the Bill is "very prescriptive" about how the powers can be used.

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Gus: this bill is tragic. Instead of protecting what we have, we're about to destroy it under the guise of "imminence", but one can see the Big Labs rubbing their hands because once the GM process is in the environmment, it's impossible to remove it and these pushy businesses can claim copyright on everything it touches. IT'S A DISGRACE. On that alone, the Howard government should be thrown out of office.

 

Mars bars get veggie status back
Mars, Snickers and Twix chocolate bars

Mars has abandoned plans to use animal products in its chocolate, and has apologised to "upset" vegetarians.

The firm had said it would change the whey used in some of its products from a vegetarian source to one with traces of the animal enzyme, rennet.

The Vegetarian Society organised a campaign against the move, asking members to voice their concerns to parent company Masterfoods.

Mars said it became "very clear, very quickly" that it had made a mistake.

In just one week, more than 6,000 people bombarded the company, which produces the Mars, Snickers, Maltesers and Galaxy brands, with phone and e-mail complaints.

Forty MPs also signed a petition to voice their opposition.

Fiona Dawson, managing director of Mars UK, said the company had listened to customers and decided to reverse its decision.

"The consumer is our boss and we had lots of feedback from consumers who were unhappy about the change," Ms Dawson said.

"It became very clear, very quickly that we had made a mistake, for which I am sorry.

"There are three million vegetarians in the UK and not only did we disappoint them, but we upset a lot of the consumers."

'Principled decision'

The Vegetarian Society had called the move by Mars "incomprehensible" and "a backward step" at a time when consumers were increasingly concerned about "the provenance of their food".

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High IQ link to being vegetarian
Fruit and vegetables

Intelligent children are more likely to become vegetarians later in life, a study says.

A Southampton University team found those who were vegetarian by 30 had recorded five IQ points more on average at the age of 10.

Researchers said it could explain why people with higher IQ were healthier as a vegetarian diet was linked to lower heart disease and obesity rates.

The study of 8,179 was reported in the British Medical Journal.

Twenty years after the IQ tests were carried out in 1970, 366 of the participants said they were vegetarian - although more than 100 reported eating either fish or chicken.

Men who were vegetarian had an IQ score of 106, compared with 101 for non-vegetarians; while female vegetarians averaged 104, compared with 99 for non-vegetarians.

There was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarian but who reported eating fish or chicken.