Food & Water Watch and Center for Food Safety called on FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg today to put an end to erroneous statements by AquaBounty Technologies Vice President, who recently told the press that FDA has already decided that the company\u2019s GMO salmon will be sold without a label.<\/p>\n
\u201cFDA\u2019s failure to take action on AquaBounty\u2019s blatant misrepresentation of the facts typifies the agency\u2019s entire hands-off regulatory review of GMO salmon,\u201d said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. \u201cIt also illustrates the dangerous level of miscommunication between FDA and AquaBounty that, historically, has caused the agency to overlook critical risks associated with GMO salmon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s letter marks the third time that Food & Water Watch has asked the FDA to address the bogus statements by Aquabounty and correct the public record. To date, FDA has failed to take action, allowing AquaBounty\u2019s patently false statements to circulate in the media and confuse the public. FDA has long stated that it would not make its labeling decision until it makes its regulatory approval decision, which has not happened.<\/p>\n
“Aquabounty is misrepresenting the facts, and FDA appears to be letting them get away with it. \u00a0If approved, this would be the first ever genetically engineered animal, making it all the more imperative that there is no confusion about the facts. FDA has a responsibility to prevent deception among consumers and it has failed in that duty,” said George Kimbrell, senior attorney for Center for Food Safety.<\/p>\n
AquaBounty\u2019s erroneous statements about labeling appear to follow a long line of misstatements or missing disclosures from the company. As just one example, the company apparently failed to disclose unfavorable news to FDA about a major biosecurity lapse in 2009, when a fatal disease entered AquaBounty\u2019s Canadian facility, causing the company to take emergency action to depopulate much of the facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that AquaBounty knows that FDA has not made a decision on labeling,\u201d said Hauter. \u201cThe company\u2019s behavior does not instill confidence that AquaBounty can raise the riskiest fish in the world. \u201d<\/p>\n
Letter to the FDA Commissioner:<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/fwwat.ch\/1sHVmVz<\/a><\/p>\n