Russian group launches large-scale, long-term GMO safety study to test Monsanto's transgenic corn

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 by: Jennifer Lea Reynolds
Tags: transgenic corn, GMO safety studies, glyphosate

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(NaturalNews) A study that is estimated to cost $25 million, run over the course of three years and experiment on thousands of rats by feeding them Monsanto genetically modified maize and the herbicide it's made with is in the works, expected to go into full swing in 2015.

The reason behind the need for the long-term study is explained by Elena Sharoykina, a campaigner and co-founder of the Russian national association for genetic safety (Nags). She's also the experiment's coordinator. You might want to sit down for this one, as her response will likely leave many people scratching their heads in confusion.

Study will examine Roundup's inactive ingredients for toxicity

The plan to spend millions of dollars and experiment on innocent animals she says is because "It will answer the question: is this GM food, and associated pesticide, safe for human health?" Specifically, the association hopes to determine whether or not GM maize and its associated herbicide are cancer-causing, and if they can also lead to birth defects and reduce fertility.

As some lengthy commercials add, "but wait, there's more."

Indeed there is.

To get to the heart of concerns over the herbicide, scientists involved in this study also plan to assess the chemicals in Monsanto's Roundup to discover if they are more or less toxic than glyphosate, its active ingredient.

Is a study telling us what we already know really necessary?

The upcoming study is being heralded as the long overdue and detailed look that's been needed to fairly delve into these issues. "The scale and format of this research project will allow us to create a really objective and comprehensive data set on the mechanics of the impacts of a GM diet on the health of living organisms over the long term," says Oxana Sinitsyna, one of the three scientists on the Factor GMO study, which this study is named.

The Factor GMO study's web site refers to the effort as the "World's Largest International Study on GMO Safety," providing site viewers with information about the scientists, a list of FAQs and an area to donate towards funding. In the donation section, it says, "Factor GMO will accept funds from all sources except from the industry that manufactures GM crops and/or their associated pesticides."

While investigation into the matter of GM foods and safety is applauded, as any effort that seeks to keep human health in tact should be, one can't help but wonder about the study's end-goal of determining whether or not such foods are detrimental. Questions pertaining to cancer, fertility and birth defects are going to be studied, while tons of research already exists demonstrating that the answer to Sharoykina's "is this GM food, and associated pesticide, safe for human health?" question is a resounding NO!

Previous findings show the devastating health consequences of consuming GM foods

Previously conducted studies have found that non-GMO corn does not have formaldehyde, chlorides and glyphosate, while such substances have been discovered in GMO corn.

Reports have also found that GMO corn has 19 times more glyphosate than the EPA allows for in drinking water.

They've also determined that GMO corn has 200 times more formaldehyde than the .97 ppm threshold deemed toxic if ingested by animals.

Wouldn't it appear that we already have our answer about the safety of GM maize consumption?

Other findings over the years have also strongly pointed to the devastating health consequences caused by ingesting GM corn and even trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup. It was brought to light by a popular UK publication that reported on a shocking cancer study in which rats used in the study ended up with monster-sized tumors so large that it impeded their ability to breathe.

"Scientists found that rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, developed mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males," the report noted, "and seven months for females."

Still, the Factor GMO study is going forward, in which a costly, three-year effort will once again expose rats to cancer-causing chemicals in order to tell the masses what they already know.

Sources for this article include:
(1) http://www.theguardian.com
(2) http://factorgmo.com/en/
(3) https://www.naturalnews.com/039864_gmo_corn_nutrients_minerals.html
(4) http://www.naturalnews.com