Seralini Study On Long-term Toxicity of a Roundup Herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant Genetically Modified Maize Republished

Republication of Professor Séralini’s study: Time to be responsible

Paris, 24 June 2014

The 2012 study on the chronic toxicity of Roundup herbicide and the genetically modified Roundup-tolerant maize NK603 by Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini and colleagues has been republished by the Springer group, with open access to its raw data. Now there will be a few embarrassing questions for the authorities.

After two years of controversy and pressure that led to the retraction of the study in November 2013, which was first published in 2012 by the Food and Chemical Toxicology (Elsevier group) journal, the research team of Professor Séralini has announced that they have republished the study in the Journal “Environmental Sciences Europe”, published by the Springer Group.

By republishing their study with some new data which are available online, the team of Professor Séralini confirms that the world’s best-selling pesticide, Roundup, causes severe liver and kidney deficiencies and hormonal disturbances, such as breast tumours, at low environmentally relevant levels. Similar effects were observed from the chronic consumption of Roundup-tolerant GM maize. This is due to residues of Roundup and to the specific genetic modification of this maize. The formulations of Roundup, as well as Roundup-tolerant GMOs, should therefore be considered endocrine (hormone) disruptors and should be re-evaluated for safety by the health authorities.

Winfried Schröder, editor of the journal Environmental Sciences Europe of the Springer Group, stated: ‘’We want to enable a rational discussion about the study of Séralini et al. (Food Chem Toxicol 2012, 50:4221–4231) by republishing it. This methodological competition is the energy necessary for any scientific progress. The sole purpose is to enable some scientific transparency and on this basis, a discussion that does not try to hide, but focuses on these needed methodological controversies.”

The research team of Prof Séralini made the choice of an open access publication in a peer-reviewed journal, which arranged the third peer-reviewed assessment of the study. The researchers have published online the raw data of the study with free access for the entire scientific community – something that the industry has always refused to do, claiming commercial confidentiality or intellectual property restrictions. But is there any real secret to keep ? How could the results of a health study violate an industrial secret ? Is industry hiding the actual toxicity of compounds that accumulate in our bodies and our environment?

End of excerpt.

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Republished Study: Long-term Toxicity of a Roundup Herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant Genetically Modified Maize

Abstract

Background

The health effects of a Roundup-tolerant NK603 genetically modified (GM) maize (from 11% in the diet), cultivated with or without Roundup application and Roundup alone (from 0.1 ppb of the full pesticide containing glyphosate and adjuvants) in drinking water, were evaluated for 2 years in rats. This study constitutes a follow-up investigation of a 90-day feeding study conducted by Monsanto in order to obtain commercial release of this GMO, employing the same rat strain and analyzing biochemical parameters on the same number of animals per group as our investigation. Our research represents the first chronic study on these substances, in which all observations including tumors are reported chronologically. Thus, it was not designed as a carcinogenicity study. We report the major findings with 34 organs observed and 56 parameters analyzed at 11 time points for most organs.

Results

Biochemical analyses confirmed very significant chronic kidney deficiencies, for all treatments and both sexes; 76% of the altered parameters were kidney-related. In treated males, liver congestions and necrosis were 2.5 to 5.5 times higher. Marked and severe nephropathies were also generally 1.3 to 2.3 times greater. In females, all treatment groups showed a two- to threefold increase in mortality, and deaths were earlier. This difference was also evident in three male groups fed with GM maize. All results were hormone- and sex-dependent, and the pathological profiles were comparable. Females developed large mammary tumors more frequently and before controls; the pituitary was the second most disabled organ; the sex hormonal balance was modified by consumption of GM maize and Roundup treatments. Males presented up to four times more large palpable tumors starting 600 days earlier than in the control group, in which only one tumor was noted. These results may be explained by not only the non-linear endocrine-disrupting effects of Roundup but also by the overexpression of the EPSPS transgene or other mutational effects in the GM maize and their metabolic consequences.

Conclusion

Our findings imply that long-term (2 year) feeding trials need to be conducted to thoroughly evaluate the safety of GM foods and pesticides in their full commercial formulations.

Keywords: Genetically modified; GMO; Roundup; NK603; Rat; Glyphosate-based herbicides; Endocrine disruption

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This is why Monsanto and their minions fought so hard to have this study retracted when it was originally published. This is why they and others are now pumping millions into US state initiatives to fight the labeling of GM foods. They know Dr. Seralini is correct in his findings. The republication of this study is vindication for scientific research and truth. It is also clear proof to me that these organisms must be BANNED in order to protect the health of humans and other species and the biodiversity of our planet due to bioaccumulation and longterm effects we have yet to see.

Also See:

Scientific Journal Withdraws Seralini Paper On Roundup Toxicity

Did Journal Editor Even Read Seralini Study?

Muzzled By Monsanto