Double standards at EFSA

In a new report, Testbiotech demonstrates that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is applying differing standards when evaluating scientific publications. Thus the criteria vary from case to case, and the assessment of studies is being influenced by preconceived viewpoints, Testbiotech reports.
 

The background is the recently published results of long-term experiments with genetically modified maize (NK603) and the herbicide Roundup. In these experiments there were clear signs of damage to the health of rats (Séralini et al., 2012). EFSA rejected these results, arguing that when the study was carried out scientific standards such as those of the OECD were not adhered to. But the analysis presented by Testbiotech shows that EFSA had accepted studies on numerous occasions in the past that did not comply with the scientific standards that the Authority is now applying to the French publication. However, those were all studies in which no health risks were established. The suspicion arises that the EU Authority selects findings that suit their purposes, according to Testbiotech.
 

“The way in which EFSA evaluates scientific investigations seems to be governed by the one-sided intention to dismiss all doubts about the safety of products,” says Christoph Then from Testbiotech. “The debate about scientific standards is being used to defend the position the Authority adopted in the past that there were no risks to health.”
 

According to Testbiotech, the French study, when compared with previous studies, even demonstrated a significantly higher scientific level, although it did contain methodological weaknesses. Testbiotech said that the results had to be taken seriously and had to form the basis for further investigations. Since consumers could come into contact with the controversial products every day, any preventative measures had to be of a high standard.
 

Testbiotech is calling for a thorough review of the current standards for assessing genetically modified plants and herbicides with the aim of achieving better protection of the environment and consumers. Also, higher priority must be given to the funding of independent risk research. The full report "The European Food Safety Authority: Using double standards when assessing feeding studies" is available here.

Testbiotech