主题：闲聊 搞抗虫转基因的都是大SB -- 子玉

It was approved for use in the European Union in 1998, but since then, several countries (Austria, Hungary, Greece, France, Luxembourg, and most recently Germany) have banned its use due to concerns that it causes environmental damage. Until it was banned in April 2009, MON 810 was the only GM crop that could be cultivated commercially in Germany.

The MON863 case - a chronicle of systematic deception

MON863——有计划的欺骗史

August 13, 2002: The Monsanto company submits to the German authorities an application to import genetically engineered MON863 maize into the EU. This submission contains a 90-day rat feeding study.

2002年8月13日：孟山都公司向德国当局提交了向欧盟引进转基因玉米MON863的申请。这项提案中包括一个90天饲鼠试验研究。

MON863 is a genetically modified corn that expresses a Bt-toxin. This toxin is a modified version of the delta endotoxin Cry3Bb1 which originates from the microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis. The genetic manipulation is aimed at protecting maize plants against a pest called corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.).

MON863是一种可以产生Bt毒素的转基因玉米，这种毒素是delta内毒素Cry3Bb1的变体，而Cry3Bb1则来自于苏云金杆菌。这项转基因操作是为了使玉米植株对抗一种叫做玉米虫（侵害玉米根须）的害虫。

MON863 differs from other Bt-corns already placed on the market (MON810, Bt11, Bt176), which produce a modified Cry1Ab toxin conferring resistance to a pest called European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), in that it produces an artificial Cry3Bb1 toxin. In addition to the modified Cry3Bb1 toxin gene MON863 contains an antibiotic resistance marker gene.

MON863和其他已经上市的Bt毒素转基因玉米（如MON810，Bt11，Bt176）的不同之处在于，它不仅可生成一种叫做Cry1Ab的人造毒素，这种毒素可以使玉米对抗欧洲玉米蛀虫，它还可以生成人造Cry3Bb1毒素。此外，MON863还含有一种抗菌基因标记。

Outside the EU MON863 is approved for cultivation in the USA and Canada, and for food and feed in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines and Taiwan.

在欧盟之外，MON863获得了在美国和加拿大种植的许可，还在澳大利亚、中国、日本、韩国、墨西哥、菲律宾和台湾获得了用做食物和饲料的生产许可。

Based on the results of the 90-day rat feeding study presented in the application the Monsanto company concludes: “Toxicological parameters evaluated were survival, clinical signs, body weight changes, food consumption, clinical pathology, organ weights, and macroscopic pathology. There were no test article related changes in any of the aforementioned toxicological parameters”.

基于申请书中提到的90天饲鼠试验，孟山都认为：“观测的毒物学指标有存活数、临床症状、体重变化、进食量、临床病理学、脏器重量以及宏观病理学。没有测试数据能够表明老鼠在上述毒物学指标上表现出了变化。”

In the conclusions of the rat feeding study provided by Monsanto one can find a disturbing fact, namely that the feeding study was performed by a third company (Covance Laboratories), but the statistical analysis of the data was made by Monsanto itself..

在孟山都提出的饲鼠试验研究报告中我们会发现一个令人疑惑的事实，孟山都一方面声明该项研究是由第三方公司（Covance实验室）完成的，但数据的统计分析却又是由孟山都自己完成的。

September 2002: Experts at the French Genetic Engineering Commission (CGB,

Commission du Gnie Biomolculaire) raise critical questions regarding the

toxicological test data derived from the rat feeding study with MON863.

2002年9月：法国基因工程委员会（CGB）的专家就该饲鼠试验得出的毒理学数据向孟山都提出严重质疑。

April 8, 2003: The German competent authorities publish their assessment of the MON863 application. In their report they state that the amino acid sequence of the Cry3B1 toxin produced by the MON863 maize has similarities to some other toxins. Most notably, the German authority found some “homologies to sequences from Clostridium bifermentans, Caenorhabditis elegans, Vibrio cholerae and Bacillus popilliae.” These homologies are of high relevance in respect to human and animal health. Despite the similarities to other toxins found the German authorities did not investigate the results from the 90-day rat feeding study in detail and therefore failed to find out if there might be some indices for mammaliantoxicity. Instead, the German authorities interpreted the similarities found “as being biologically irrelevant due to lack of indications of mammalian toxic activity.”

2003年4月8日：德国主管部门发布了他们对MON863申请的评估报告。该报告认为MON863玉米所产生的Cry3Bb1毒素的氨基酸序列和另一些毒素相似，特别是，和bifermentans梭菌、Caenorhabditis elegans、cholerae霍乱菌以及popilliae杆菌相似。考虑到人类和动物的健康问题，这些相似点是亟需重视的。尽管发现了与其他毒素存在相似之处，德国当局并没有深入调查90天饲鼠试验，因此也就没有确定是否对哺乳动物有毒性影响。相反，德国当局把这些相似点解释为“由于缺乏哺乳动物中毒报告，因此这些相似之处在生物学上是无关的”

The 90 day rat feeding study which shows significant changes in the blood of the animals was mentioned in the German assessment report as follows: “From this extensive study, it can be deduced that even after long term oral exposure to MON863 maize kernels, no harmful effects are to be expected.” The German report does not mention any significant findings, but by and large repeats Monanto's conclusion that “… no substance-specific biologically relevant effects were seen in comparison to controls …".

在90天饲鼠试验中，老鼠的血液出现了显著的变化，德国当局的评估报告中是这样说的：“从这个详细的研究可以推断，即使经过长时期的MON863玉米喂食，也不会看到有害的影响。”这份德国报告没有提到任何有意义的发现，除了大段重复孟山都的结论“…在试验组和对照组的比较中，没有发现生物学上不同影响…”（注：control group，试验中的控制组，不做任何实验处理，用作与试验组对照，也译为对照组。）

June 2003: A narrow majority of the French CGB's experts approves the results of the MON863 tests.

2003年6月：法国基因工程委员会（CGB）以微弱多数通过了MON863的测试结果。

November 10, 2003: The French group CRIIGEN (Committee for Independent Research and Genetic Engineering) appeals to the French Commission CADA (Commission of Access to administrative Documents) in order to obtain the reports of CGB referring to significant health effects in the rat feeding study.

The French authorities had declared the CGB reports as being confidential, but CRIIGEN wins the case and presents the reports to journalists (see below).

2003年11月10日：法国基因工程独立研究委员会（CRIIGEN）控告法国档案管理局要求给出CGB的报告原文，该报告曾提到在饲鼠试验引起老鼠出现显著的健康变化。法国当局宣布该报告内容保密，但CRIIGEN胜诉并把该报告交给了记者。（见后）

April 2, 2004: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes its opinion on

Monsanto's MON863 application. In their conclusion the EFSA's experts state, “The results of the 90-day sub-chronic rodent studies do not indicate adverse effects from consumption of MON863 and MON810 and the Panel concludes that there are no concerns over their safety.”

In its opinion EFSA mentions the significant findings in the rat feeding study as follows:

“Some differences were observed in haematological parameters, including total white blood cell, lymphocyte and basophil counts.” But EFSA plays down these findings with a very general statement, saying that “These differences are not considered to be biologically meaningful since they fall within the standard deviation of the reference control population.”

2004年4月2日：欧洲食品安全局（EFSA）发布了其对孟山都MON863申请的评议。在其结论中，EFSA的专家声称：“90天饲鼠试验的结果不能表明MON863和MON810饲养造成了有害影响，因此全体评审员认为不需要考虑安全问题”

在这份评议中，EFSA提到了在饲鼠试验中发现的显著差异：“在血液指标上观察到了一些变化，包括白细胞总量、淋巴球和嗜碱细胞总量。”但是EFSA以一种无所谓的语气（general statement）说道：“这些不同并无生物学上的意义，因为它们处于对照组的标准差变化范围之内。”

Moreover, EFSA plays down significant findings in kidney weights observed in the rat feeding study: “The overall conclusion is that no differences in relation to feeding in MON863 maize were observed on kidney weights, kidney weights relative to body weights and kidney weights relative to brain weight.”

而且，EFSA对饲鼠试验中老鼠肾脏重量的显著变化也轻描淡写：“总的结论是肾重的变化与喂食MON863并无关系，因为肾重和体重有关，也和脑重有关。”

Finally, EFSA discusses some microscopic pathological changes in kidneys. “However, a statistically significant lower incidence of mineralized kidney tubulus was noted for rats fed 33% MON863 maize compared to those fed the control maize during histopathology after termination. These findings are not considered to pose concerns over the safety of MON863 maize.”

最后，EFSA讨论了在老鼠肾脏观察到的微生物病理学变化，“然而，和那些喂食非转基因普通玉米的对照组老鼠比较，喂食33%MON863玉米饲料的老鼠出现了肾脏矿物质含量指标的明显下降。我们认为这些发现并不涉及MON863的安全性问题”

April 23, 2004: After CRIIGEN succeeded in accessing the report of CGB, the French newspaper Le Monde exposes the MON863 scandal. The newspaper covers the significant changes in the blood of rats, which were fed with MON863, and reveals that the CGB's experts had expressed safety concerns.

2004年4月23日：CRIIGEN成功拿到CGB的报告原文后，法国报纸Le Monde披露了MON863丑闻。新闻界掩饰了喂食MON863后老鼠在血液中出现的显著变化，并显示CGB的专家已经考虑到了安全问题。

May 2004: Greenpeace requests the data from the rat feeding study with MON863 from the German authorities.

2004年5月：绿色和平要求德国当局给出MON863饲鼠试验的原始数据。

August 4, 2004: In a response to the German authorities