Dr. Oz and the GMO Debate Part 3

In the first part of The Dr. Oz Show Segment on GMO foods, the discussion began about non-GMO food labels and a short education of what GMO actually means. In the second part, Dr. Oz began a discussion with three expert panelists discussing the viewpoint of both proponents and opponents to the GMO debate. Here, we will take a lok at the third and final part of the segment.

Dr. Oz Takes the Conversation International and Then, Back to Labels
Genetically Modified Foods, Pt. 3 (The Dr. Oz Show video clip is 4 minutes and 11 seconds long)

Dr. Oz continued to probe the one proponent of GMOs on his panel, Dr. Pamela Ronald, by taking a look at the international community. He raised a pretty good question.

Why are GMO crops banned in a number of  European nations?

image from The Dr. Oz Show originally aired on 12/7/2010

This is the point where I always start to take sides. Perhaps I am being naive in some way, but why would an entire country ban a farming practice if it was safe? Dr. Oz asked this question - I just wished some scientist from one of these countries could have been there to answer. All we can do is speculate.

And then Dr. Michael Hansen, piggy-backing off of Dr. Ronald's statements about using the best science for determining GMO safety in part 2, piped in and said what someone needed to say during this entire debate:

"One thing that should be pointed out is that we do need more science... in this country... the FDA does not require any extra safety testing at all."

This, of course, had me thinking, again, about that pesky Food Safety Bill and whether or not it truly was up to snuff. I am going to have to go back into that one and see if there are any things I would like to speak out about before it makes it to the House of Representatives. 

To finish the segment, the conversation turned back to labeling and what the benefits are and what the drawbacks might be. They each can be summarized quite simply. The labeling of GMOs benefits us with informing us, we then have the opportunity to use our "capitalist vote" to decide what types of food we wish to support and, ultimately, consume. The drawbacks of any labeling system are two-fold; (1) who does the labeling, and (2) the limitations of the labeling process. Even the Non-GMO Project we looked at in Part 1 of this series, clearly states on their website that they can not guarantee that the products labeled non-GMO are 100% GMO free.So we are left, once again, making a leap of faith, only this time, when armed with a label the leap should be over a puddle, not the Atlantic Ocean!

My Final Thoughts About The Dr. Oz Show's Panel on GMOs

First of all, I am extremely happy that Dr. Oz devoted a segment of his show to this topic. I wish it were the entire episode, but there was a lot of info in this half of the show, regardless. When I first found out about this show, I was excited at the prospect of hearing Dr. Pamela Ronald's viewpoints, but, due to lack of time I feel my curiosity is not yet satiated. I think, due to this fact, Tomorrow's Table is going to be on my reading list. I am also curious about Dr. Michael Hansen's work and will be on the lookout for more word from him, as he seems to be a rational man opposed to GMOs, rather than an extremist opposed to GMOs (I believe there is a significant difference).

For now, personally, I am still going to try to maintain a GMO-free diet when possible on my search for sustenance. I have two chronic conditions, one of which is idiopathic (unknown origin) in nature and I don't believe I have the body or the time to waste waiting for science to decide which way to go. So, unless some GMO seed is going to cure Intracranial Hypertension or eradicate Crohn's disease from my family tree, I'll take my genes unmodified, thank you.

Resources, Links & Further Info:

•  Even MORE resources from The Dr. Oz Show about Genetically Modified Foods
• A must read: Dr. Pamela Ronald's Response to her time on The Dr. Oz Show 
• Search results of Dr. Michael Hansen's writings for ConsumersUnion.org
• Opportunity to win a copy of Jeffrey Smith's Seeds of Deception
  
• Books written by people on the show:

Dr. Oz and the GMO Debate Part 2

After Dr. Oz introduced GM (genetically modified) foods to the audience, as well as some of his concerns about them in Part 1 of this segment of show, he introduced the three expert panelists invited to speak on the topic of genetically modified foods.

•  Jeffrey Smith, author of two books on the subject of GM foods,
• Dr. Michael Hansen, who works for Consumer Reports and has studied GM foods, and
• Dr. Pamela Ronald, a Plant Pathologist and author of the book and blog of the same name: Tomorrow's Table

Dr. Oz also mentioned that he extended an invitation to someone in the Monsanto company, but they declined, providing a statement, of which he shared this bit:

image from The Dr. Oz Show episode originally aired on 12/7/2010

 Part 2 of Dr. Oz's GMO Segment - The Debate begins
Genetically Modified Foods, Pt. 2 (this video clip is 5 minutes and 29 seconds long)

As Dr. Oz began to engage each of the panelists in their viewpoints of the place GMO foods have in our world and in our diets, he paused to give voice to the major questions raised by the proponents and opponents of this technique of food/crop development. I think it is very important to take note of them, here, again:

image from The Dr. Oz Show episode originally aired on 12/7/2010.

What struck me as this graphic hit the screen was the question marks. So often, being exposed to extremist views in a topic of debate, it is easy to forget that they actually belong there. Are these benefits? Are they always true? Are none of these things possible with non-GMO food? Why does it provide a cheaper food supply? How do they improve the lives of farmers?
More questions rose the more I let these settle...

image from The Dr. Oz Show episode originally aired 12/7/2010

And then the opponents' questions hit the screen. Where is the evidence of each of these harmful effects? I have heard them all before, it is one of the reasons I avoid GMO whenever possible, but when I heard about them, there were no question marks. I began to wonder, what is the flip side to this story, sure Monsanto did not show, but what does Dr. Pamela Ronald have to say? I would like to hear both sides to the story and then make my decision.

I had really high hopes for this episode when I first heard about the panel of GMO experts - for once, I thought, I'll be hearing both sides of the story, even if it is on a short segment of a show! However, I was disappointed by the seemingly one-sided nature of the show (even if it did lean in my direction). Jeffrey Smith spoke of all of the things that he learned through his research for his books (he worked with doctors and scientists, he is not one himself). His claimed that evidence was found to for all of the maledictions in the graphic above, he actually said at one point that all doctors should, "prescribe a non-GMO diet to all of their patients." When he was done, Dr. Oz asked Dr. Ronald to chime in. She claimed that all of Mr. Smith's evidence has been refuted and listed a number of websites (bioforitifed,org, ucbiotech.org and academicsreview.org) to go to in order to see those studies. I thought to myself, "Here we go. This is going to be good," and then Dr. Oz cut her off! I was shocked. He said people don't want to hear about websites, "...they think either you're full of it, or Jeffrey's full of it." That's true.

Her response was spot on, she said, "...Science does not make policy, but we need to make policy based on the best science..."and then got in one more dig that Mr. Smith is not a scientist.

The question in this debate: WHAT IS THE BEST SCIENCE?

I agree with Dr. Ronald. I understand the suspicion of Jeffrey Smith's results, but what about Dr. Hansen?

This debate continues in Part 3 of Dr. Oz's Show on Genetically Modified foods...

Books written by people on the show:

 

Dr. Oz This Week: Panel About GMOs

I am always on the lookout for more information on genetically modified foods, seeds and animals in my search for healthy, safe foods to eat. I am displeased with the current state of our food industry that sells many GM foods without labeling them at all. I believe that if the public was made aware during the purchase process how much of their food actually did come from a GM product, then they would, in fact, be energized to take action on this topic. I have written before about shopping guides you can use to avoid buying GMOs, actions you can take to stop new GM foods from making it to our tables and how my eyes first began to open to these horrors. However, I am still no expert and, in my endless calling as a life-long learner, I seem to have found two new resources today in one glance at my computer screen.

Tune in to The Dr. Oz Show on December 7, 2010

Here is the first announcement that caught my eye on the Foodie Blog Roll website today:

"The nation will be watching when Jeffrey Smith takes the stage at the Dr. Oz Show this Tuesday, December 7th, to share the health dangers of genetically modified foods with Dr. Oz and his audience. Rounding out the non-GMO side of the panel for this segment will be another outstanding non-GMO advocate, Dr. Michael Hansen of the Consumers Union. Dr. Pamela Ronald, a pro-GM scientist who has been proposing that organic foods include GMOs is also included."

This panel sounds fascinating. Jeffrey Smith is a well-known expert in the field of genetically modified organisms, having written the book Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods. Dr. Michael Hansen has also been outspoken against GMOs concerning allergy risks and unethical acts of Monsanto. Dr. Pamela Ronald also seems to be a super intriguing guest - a Professor of Plant Pathology, married to an organic farmer. I just discovered her blog Tomorrow's Table, and am curious about her views. Her specialization seems to be in genetically modified rice, using genetic to help the rice survive flooding. I won't only be tuning in to this episode, I will be recording it on my DVR.


An Opportunity to Win A FREE Book

Along with the notice about The Dr. Oz Show on the Foodie Blog Roll site, is a contest to win a copy of Jeffrey Smith's book Seeds of Deception. I have not yet read the book myself, so I can not give you a quick review, but I can say that I am entering the contest and if I don't win, I am going to get this book. What this book and The Dr. Oz Show offer are more perspectives on this topic. I find it important when learning things to hear about them from as many perspectives as possible in order to come to my own truth.

For now, there are two ways to see if this book is for you:

• Check out the book's web page, and
• Check out the author on The Dr. Oz Show this Tuesday

I imagine there will be more to discuss later in the week on this topic, but for now it would be great to hear from you!

Where do you fall in the GMO debate? Is it on your radar yet? Have you picked a side yet? If so, what is it and why? I am, as I mentioned above, intrigued by Dr. Ronald's perspective and am wondering if anyone else feels the same way. Thanks.

Other Book By Jeffrey Smith: