An article published in Newsmax describes seven ways your health is affected by genetically modified foods (GMOs). Just from looking at it I could tell that the points brought up in it were questionable. The author of the article alleges that many concur GMO’s have an adverse effect on health. I decided to look into the allegations myself and the entire article itself is full of nonsense.

In the second paragraph, the author cites the Institute for Responsible Technology which is headed by Jeffrey M. Smith. Smith is IRT’s only employee and a notorious opponent of biotechnological foods. According to Forbes, Smith self published two books critical of biotechnology and produced an anti-GMO documentary entitled Seeds of Deception. Smith and scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini (of the retracted GMO corn causes cancer in rats study fame) were invited to a Cato Institute function to debate the issue of GMOs but ended up backing out at the last minute. Forbes also states that Jeffrey Smith has been touted as being a scientist by Dr. Mehmet Oz. But Smith has never received any formal training as one and has appeared numerous times on Oz’s program berating GMO foods and Monsanto.

In the first section alleging GMOs cause food allergy of her article is a group known as the Organic Consumers Association which condemns GMO foods and falsely alleges most of the foreign proteins being gene-spliced into foods have never been eaten by humans before or tested for their safety. Absolutely not true. The video that is at the end of this essay and the one I will post tomorrow describes the kind of testing GMO’s go through before being released.

The section alleging toxicity, the author cites the website GMeducation. However, upon reviewing it there is nothing but anti-GMO essays alleged by the site to be information but cites a study done by Earth Open Source which is another anti-GMO organization. The website makes allegations including purporting a conspiracy between food production companies and the British government with no evidence to back up any of its claims.

In the paragraph alleging GMO’s causing infertility, the author cites an organization called the American Academy of Environmental Science. The AAES not only recommends homeopathy it has a homeopathic doctor referral service and also takes anti-vaccine stances falsely stating vaccines cause autism and contain mercury.

In the gluten disorders section, the author cites the Institute for Responsible Technology which I researched when she cited them in the second paragraph. It is another anti-GMO group headed by a man who is its only employee, Jeffrey M. Smith, and is propagandist and a pseudoscientist.

In the fifth section alleging DNA transfer, the author cites Joseph Mercola who isn’t really a board certified physician (despite his calling himself a doctor) but, in reality, is a DO. He is not only anti-vaccine and opposed to GMO’s, but in 2005, Mercola was ordered by the FDA to stop making claims about his products that were illegal. To this day, Mercola sells products that he claims lower blood pressure, eliminate cancer risk and heart problems almost to the point of stating they cure the illnesses. Mercola has been promoting his snake oil medicine for over fifteen years and, to this day, continues to have run ins with the FDA about false and questionable assertions he makes about his products and therapies.

In the part of the article alleging birth defects, the author citing a study done by Dr. Andres Carraso who was head of the molecular Embryology Lab at the University of Buenos Aires. Dr. Carrasco alleged that Monsanto’s pesticide Roundup Ready caused birth defects. His findings were later discredited that were detailed in the obituary written for him in one of Argentina’s major newspapers.

In the seventh and final part on biotechnological foods causing cancer, the author reports on the infamous Seralini research piece alleging GMO’s and Monsanto’s pesticides cause cancer in rats. The manuscript ended up being retracted due to concerns about the author’s investigation methods. Despite the disclaimer at the bottom that the article is for information only, Newsmax‘s publishing of this and other articles condemning bio tech foods using fake scientific sources as proof is both irresponsible and anti-science. It ill behooves Newsmax to publish such tripe since it undermines the publication’s credibility as an alternate media news source.

Below is a video interview with Professor Martina Newell McGloughlin of the University of California at Davis. Professor McGloughlin explains the meticulous safety testing completed on all biotechnological foods. As it turns out and as she will explain, GMO foods are the most tested products in the history of agriculture. Misinformation and lies spread by sources, such as Natural News, and environmentalist groups, such as Greenpeace, is tantamount not just an attack on science and our food supply but an assault on human life itself.