Misinformation undermines understanding of scientific development, says ANBio

SAO PAULO, Sept. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Biosafety Association (ANBio), the most important Brazilian organization on biosafety, warned about the dissemination of research developed without appropriate scientific methodology, without statistical significance and elaborated in a rather biased way.

Dr. Leila Oda, president of the organization, states that ideological positions can influence quite negatively the understanding of reputable scientific information on GM food, vaccines and even biological medicines produced by modern biotechnology.

"The lack of questioning about some scientific studies disregards hundreds of scientific papers that clearly confirm the safety of the currently approved biotechnology applications worldwide. These are studies approved by responsible organizations with careful monitoring, possible questionings and releases of research and launches of innovative technologies that benefit society," she says. Dr. Oda is the former president of the National Technical Biosafety Commission (CTNBio) - a technical committee from the Federal Government that, among other assignments, establishes the criteria of biosafety for the application of biotechnology in Brazil.

The researcher and PhD in microbiology regrets that some fallacies are spread as truth and undermine the quality of information that reaches consumers. ANBio challenges the technical credibility of a questionable French study that casts doubts on the safety of one of the technologies of transgenic corn, which has been consumed by millions of people worldwide for nearly 10 years.

The organization argues that the repercussions of studies in the media needs to take into consideration contrast studies, careful analysis of statistical significance, choice of objects of study, analysis of studies' sponsors and ideological interests involved, such as groups against the scientific and technological development, for example. ANBio points out that there are more than 500 independent research groups in Europe, funded by the European Commission for over 25 years and none has found scientific evidence that GMO have more or less risks to humans and the environment than the unmodified organisms . This clearly demonstrates a history of safe use of transgenics in the world, referenced in reports of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"The Federal Government itself encourages the advancement of research and applications of biotechnology, however with regard to opinion maker spaces, it seems we've gone back in time," added ANBio's president.

About ANBio

The National Biosafety Association (ANBio) was established in 1999 with the aim of disseminating information about advances in modern biotechnology and its control mechanisms. Promoting knowledge of biosecurity and its practices are in its scope of work, as a scientific discipline, as well as training and guidance of professionals who implement biosafety in research institutions and biomedical education. ANBio is on the Internet at: www.anbio.org.br.

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Laura da Fonseca
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Rafaela Prieto
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Bruno Viecili
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SOURCE ANBio