If pesticide effects can be passed on for generations, what about GM crops?

“In one study baby rats exposed to atrazine, an herbicide that is banned in European countries, were born with no birth defects. But they developed problems including infertility, kidney and prostate problems, cancer and shortened lifespans as adults – and passed them on to their offspring.”

Atrazine, a persistent pesticide, is widely used in India [and the U.S.*]

This study is shocking indeed. So far we were made to believe that the harm pesticides cause is immediately apparent. But Dr Winchester’s study goes much beyond and explains how pesticides can have long-term problems in humans. Maybe I alone was unaware of the long-term impact of some of the pesticides, and I therefore thought it would be useful to share this disturbing news report. I am sure you will agree the urgent need for more long-term studies to ascertain the effects of pesticides before the approval for its application is given.

If this is true of pesticides, I wonder how can the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) be satisfied with the so-called long-term tests done by Mahyco on Bt brinjal. The longest toxicity tests, which are for only 90 days, cannot assess long-term effects like the development of tumours or cancers from genetic modification. No safety can be concluded about Bt Brinjal based on this, and considering the above mentioned study on atrazine exposure in rats, it is obvious that the true impact can only be known when research spans for a few generations.