INDEX:
KEY FDA DOCUMENTS REVEALING
(1) HAZARDS OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS--AND
(2) FLAWS WITH HOW THE AGENCY MADE ITS POLICY

 

  Alliance for Bio-Integrity     HOME

 

About the Documents
You will see scanned reproductions (exact copies) of some of the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) internal memoranda about the hazards of genetically engineered foods.  These documents became available through the Alliance for Bio-Integrity's lawsuit (Alliance for Bio-Integrity et al., vs. Shalala, et al.) to gain mandatory safety testing and labeling of these foods.  The large numbers on the bottom of each page (i.e. 18952) are the Administrative Record (A.R.) numbers affixed by the FDA.

How to View and Print
In order to make these documents easily accessible, we've saved each page in two different formats: one intended for viewing on your monitor using your internet browser (click on "View Document"), and one formatted in PDF suitable for printing onto a  8 1/2" X 11" sheet of paper (click on "Print Document").

To print the PDF files you will need free software called Adobe Acrobat Reader.  If you don't already have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it here.  Depending on your computer and internet connection, downloading Adobe Acrobat Reader may take up to fifteen minutes.  You may find that the best way to view and read the documents on your monitor is to select the PDF files; they are larger files and therefore may take slightly longer to download, but the Acrobat Reader enables you to enlarge or reduce the image size to fit your monitor.
        

  FDA Scientists Discuss Various Safety Concerns

  1. Comments from Dr. Linda Kahl, FDA compliance officer, to Dr. James Maryanski, FDA Biotechnology Coordinator, about the Federal Register document "Statement of Policy: Foods from Genetically Modified Plants."  Dated January 8, 1992. (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    2.  
  2. Memorandum from Dr. Edwin J. Mathews to the Toxicology Section of the Biotechnology Working Group. Subject: "Analysis of the Major Plant Toxicants."  Dated October 28, 1991. (2 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    3.  
  3. Memorandum from Dr. Samuel I. Shibko to Dr. James Maryanski, FDA Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Revision of Toxicology Section of the Statement of Policy: Foods Derived from Genetically Modified Plants." Dated January 31, 1992. (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    4.  
  4. Comments from Dr. Louis J. Pribyl re: the "Biotechnology Draft Document, 2/27/92." Dated March 6, 1992. (5 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    5.  
  5. Comments from Dr. Louis J. Pribyl re: "... the March 18, 1992 Version of the Biotechnology Document." Dated March 18, 1992. (1 page)  View Document - Print Document

    6.  
  6. Comments from Division of Food Chemistry and Technology and Division of Contaminants Chemistry. Subject: "Points to Consider for Safety Evaluation of Genetically Modified Foods.  Supplemental Information."  Dated November 1, 1991. (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    7.  
  7. Memorandum from Dr. Mitchell Smith, Head, Biological and Organic Chemistry Section, to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Comments on Draft Federal Register Notice on Food Biotechnology, Dec. 12, 1991 draft."  Dated January 8, 1992. (2 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    8.  
  8. Letter from Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator, to Dr. Bill Murray, Chairman of the Food Directorate, Canada.  Subject: the safety assessment of foods and food ingredients developed through new biotechnology.  Dated October 23, 1991. (2 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    9.  
  9. Comments from Dr. Carl B. Johnson on the "draft statement of policy 12/12/91."  Dated January 8, 1992. (2 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    10.  
  10. Memorandum from Dr. Gerald B. Guest, Director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Regulation of Transgenic Plants--FDA Draft Federal Register Notice on Food Biotechnology."  Dated February 5, 1992. (4 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    11.  

Specific Objections to Use of Antibiotic-Resistant Marker Genes

  1. Memorandum from Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator, to Dr. Murray Lumpkin.  Subject: "Use of Kanamycin Resistance Marker Gene in Tomatoes."  (1 page)  View Document - Print Document

    2.  
  2. Memorandum from Dr. Murray Lumpkin to Dr. Bruce Burlington.  Subject: "The tomatoes that will eat Akron." Dated December 17, 1992. (7 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    3.  
  3. Memorandum from Dr. Albert Sheldon to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Use of Kanamycin Resistance Markers in Tomatoes."  Dated March 30, 1993.  (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    4.  

Safety Questions Raised by Tests on the Flavr Savr Tomato--the Most Thoroughly Tested Bioengineered Food

  1. Memorandum from Dr. Fred Hines to Dr. Linda Kahl.  Subject: "FLAVR SAVR Tomato:" ... "Pathology Branch's Evaluation of Rats with Stomach Lesions From Three Four-Week Oral (Gavage) Toxicity Studies" ... "and an Expert Panel's Report."  Dated June 16, 1993. (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    2.  
  2. Memorandum from Robert J. Scheuplein, Ph.D. to the FDA Biotechnology Coordinator and others. Subject: "Response to Calgene Amended Petition." Dated October 27, 1993. (4 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    3.  
  3. Memorandum from Dr. Carl B. Johnson to Dr. Linda Kahl & Others.  Subject: "Flavr Savr(TM) tomato; significance of pending DHEE question." Dated Dec 7, 1993. (1 page)  View Document - Print Document

    4.  
  4. Memorandum from Dr. Fred Hines to Dr. Linda Kahl.  Subject: "FLAVR SAVR Tomato"... "Pathology Branch's Remarks to Calgene Inc.'s Response to FDA Letter of June 29, 1993."  Dated December 10, 1993. (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document


Additional Evidence of Improprieties In The Formation Of FDA Policy On Bioengineered Foods

  1. Note from Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator, to Mr. Michael Taylor.  Subject: "Food Biotechnology Policy Development."  Dated October 7, 1993. (1 page)  View Document - Print Document

    2.  
  2. Document titled "FDA REGULATION OF FOOD PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM GENETICALLY ALTERED PLANTS: POINTS TO CONSIDER"  Not dated. (3 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    3.  
  3. Memorandum from Dr. James Maryanksi, Biotechnology Coordinator, to the Director of the Center for Applied Nutrition.  Subject: "FDA Task Group on Food Biotechnology: Progress Report 2." Dated August 15, 1991. (1 page)  View Document - Print Document

    4.  
  4. Memorandum from David Kessler, Commissioner of Food & Drugs.  Subject: "FDA Proposed Statement of Policy Clarifying the Regulation of Food Derived from Genetically Modified Plants--DECISION." Dated March 20, 1992. (4 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    5.  
  5. Letter from Terry Medley, J.D. (of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Comments on FDA Draft Statement of Policy on foods derived from new plant varieties, including plants derived by recombinant DNA techniques. Dated April 2, 1992. (5 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    6.  
  6. Note from Eric Katz (Dept. of Health & Human Services) to John Gallivan.  Subject: "Food Biotechnology Policy Statement."  Dated March 27, 1992. (2 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    7.  
  7. Memorandum from James B. MacRae, Jr. (of the Office of Management and Budget), for C. Boyden Gray (President Bush’s White House counsel).  Subject: "FDA Food Biotechnology Policy."  Dated March 21, 1992. (2 pages)  View Document - Print Document

    8.  

 
 
  1.  Alliance for Bio Integrity    HOME