THERE has been a great deal of publicity recently about the efficacy or otherwise of the experiments on rats conducted by Dr Arpad Pusztai at the Rowett Research Institute. There does indeed appear to be real doubt about the safety of genetically modified food and the morality of interfering with nature in this way.
However, no one seems to question the morality of inflicting suffering on animals in the course of these studies. There can be no doubt that Dr Pusztai's rats suffered considerably. As a result of being force-fed genetically modified potatoes both their immune systems and their internal organs (including their liver) were significantly damaged.
As usual where the interests of big business are involved, animals come a very poor second. The injustice is compounded by the pretence that animal experiments can guarantee human safety in this area. They clearly cannot.
Christine Orr
Research Officer
BUAV
Crane Grove, London
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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