The Arab Group
for the Protection of Nature (APN) lectures about “Genetically Modified
Organisms, Risks and Impacts” in cooperation with the Ministry of Health
– Primary Medical Care Department
On June 23rd 2005, The Arab Group for the Protection of Nature in
cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Health- Primary Medical Care
Department- held a lecture about the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
The aim of this lecture is to promote the understanding between the
medical and scientific circles in Jordan about the Genetically Modified
Organisms, its risks and impacts. This step comes as a primary step
after APN held its international seminar “GMOs, Risks and Impacts” on
May 7th-8th 2005 in Amman, Jordan.
The lecture started with a welcoming note by Dr. Adel Belbeisi, the head
of the Primary Medical Care Department, and then Dr. Sana Saqf Al-Hait
presented all lecturers. Ms. Razan Zuyater, the chairman of APN,
followed by presenting APN, its activities and projects that aim to
preserve nature, land and agriculture in Jordan, Palestine and the Arab
countries.
Ms. Zuyater says: “If no evidence exists about the risks and dangers of
eating GM foods, it does not mean that these foods should be consumed
without global supervision, since humans do not need Genetic
Modification. Also, the nutrition supervisory departments of the
Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture should start the
required inspections on all imported foods in order to be aware if these
products contain GMOs or not”.
APN’s member Dr. Assem Al-Shehabi, a professor at Jordan University
Faculty of Medicine, explained the scientific side of genetics
engineering, and how this technology is still at its beginnings where
one should know the side affects of consuming the products of this
technology, and whether it will actually serve man kind with out
spreading diseases or having any side affects.
Next, Dr. Shirley Al-Jabi talked about the consequences of humans
consuming GMOs. Dr. Al-Jabi stressed the fact that the sole purpose of
the producing companies of GMOs is to gain more and more profit. She
also explained that one should know the exact contents of any product
being used, meaning labels should show if there exits any GMOs in the
product. Also she stressed the fact that nations should stop the spread
of GM foods by boycotting them because humans do not need GM foods and
the consumers’ choice should be towards organic foods.
This lecture leads the scientific circles in Jordan to research the
technology of GMOs, where the debates are still growing among the
international scientific circles and the Civil Societies Groups on GMOs.
