Critics answered

Summary answer:
The rats in Séralini’s study had unrestricted access to food and water, but so did the rats in Monsanto’s 90-day studies on GM foods, and so do most humans in their daily lives. So this aspect of Séralini’s
Read More

Summary answer:
Séralini’s control groups were the same size as each treatment dose group, in line with standard scientific practice. It is not good scientific practice to introduce extra irrelevant “reference” control groups, though Monsanto has routinely done this in
Read More

Summary answer:
Séralini measured food intake more often than industry studies on GM foods and the absence of data in his published paper does not invalidate the findings observed. (more…)

Summary answer:
Many toxins, especially those that affect the hormonal system (these include Roundup), have nonlinear dose-response patterns. Scientists have published papers about nonlinear dose-response patterns since the 1990s, but industry and some risk assessment bodies cling to the outdated
Read More

Summary answer:
Sex-specific toxic effects are well documented in the scientific literature, including in a study on Roundup toxicity in rats and in animal studies on GM foods. Such effects are to be expected when the hormonal system is involved.
Read More

Summary answer:
There is no requirement in any regulatory system to establish mechanism of action for a toxin before regulatory action can be taken and there is no burden of proof on scientists who find toxic effects to establish a
Read More

Summary answer:
Regarding NK603 maize, Séralini used the same two doses as Monsanto used in its 90-day study and added a third dose, which is necessary to draw any conclusions about dose response in relation to any harmful effects. Regarding
Read More

Summary answer:
No study is perfect, but Séralini’s is far stronger than the 90-day studies carried out by industry for regulatory authorization of GM foods. It is unacceptable that these studies are accepted as proof of safety for GM foods
Read More

At present there are no internationally agreed mandatory guidelines on how GM crop animal feeding safety trials should be conducted. Although OECD guidelines for chemical safety testing are a reasonable staring point, there is an urgent need for internationally
Read More