Monsanto Company (Statement)

We are very concerned that the programme damaged our good name by broadcasting an allegation that there were good grounds for believing that we had rushed our foodstuffs onto the market before conducting necessary or proper long-term testing. This was largely based upon unsubstantiated allegations by Professor Pusztai of the Rowett Institute that he had conducted tests on genetically modified potatoes which had harmed rats and therefore demonstrated that all genetically modified products should be submitted to similar tests.

Despite World in Action filming this interview with Professor Pusztai in late June, some seven weeks before broadcast, and despite repeated requests for information as to what he was saying, World In Action steadfastly refused to disclose what Professor Pusztai had said in his interview. In fact, our representatives wrote on no less than eight occasions requesting information. The only statement we received was that Professor Pusztai would talk about "his own research on feeding transgenic potatoes to rats…" research with which it was alleged Monsanto was "very familiar." In fact, the programme related to entirely new research which was nor disclosed to Monsanto.

Further, the programme proudly proclaimed that Professor Pusztai’s results were being revealed on World In Action "for the first time."

Although World In Action would not tell us what Professor Pusztai had said, they provided a full transcript of the programme to some journalists at the end of the week before the broadcast and, using language likely to have started a new food scare, issued a press release to the media titled "New Health Fears over ‘Frankenstein’ Food". This resulted in a number of alarmist headlines in the press on Monday, such as:

The Express - "Genetic Crops Stunt Growth"

Daily Mail - "Genetic Foods May Harm Humans"

The Times - "GM Potatoes Damage Rat’s Immune Systems"

The Sun - "Genetic Food Tests ‘Show Health Risk"’

The Western Daily Press - "X- Gene Potatoes Fail the Rat Test"

The Manchester Evening News - "Modified Spuds stunt Rat Growth"

That evening, World In Action alleged that rats had been fed two different kinds of genetically modified potato for more than 100 days, the human equivalent of ten years, and Professor Pusztai stated "The effect was slight growth retardation and an effect on the immune system. One of the genetically modified potatoes, after 100 days, made the rats less responsive due immune [sic] effects."

On Wednesday Monsanto learned for the first time that Dr. Pusztai had been feeding the allegedly immune-deficient rats potatoes mixed with a protein which was known to be poisonous. It was inevitable and entirely predictable that the rats would suffer the ill effects noted.

The idea that this or any similar test could justify an assertion that all genetically modified foods were unsafe is completely flawed and in any event the potatoes involved had not been genetically modified. Monsanto and other companies involved in genetically modified food products are well aware that the protein being tested was toxic and it would never be used in genetically modified foods. If World in Action had given us this basic information about Professor Pusztai’s study, we would have made this clear.

We are now anxious to meet with the Institute in order better to understand the research which was undertaken by Professor Pusztai, and to ensure a cessation of the scaremongering. As the Institute said in its press release of 12 August 1998 "..it was improper to present data which had not been publicly scrutinized by a variety of international experts and published.. It is therefore regrettable that discussions with the media at other times led to the presentation of information which misled everybody concerned."

It is quite remarkable how damaging the consequences have been of World In Action’s failure to comply with the Codes of the ITC and the Broadcasting Standards Commission. These require that the subject of criticism be fully and fairly informed of the criticism and World In Action’s failure to comply with the Codes has resulted in gross unfairness to Monsanto and unnecessary alarm to the public.

We are currently reviewing all of our options. It is too early to say what action we will be taking.