WRITTEN QUESTION E-2293/96 by Martina Gredler (ELDR) to the Commission (27 August 1996)

Subject: Penicillin resistance through genetically modified maize

Genetically modified maize possibly leads to a transfer of resistance to ampicillin. Further cross-resistance with other penicillins is therefore probable and causes a completely altered situation in infection management when treating a patient. The addition of antibiotics to feed in stockrearing and fattening and the spread of resistance are constantly reducing the selection of these effective medicinal products available for therapeutic use. In intensive care units this leads to insoluble infectious complications and possibly to the death of patients.

Does the Commission have studies describing the risks of genetically modified maize, in particular as regards health?

What is the implication of resistance to antibiotics caused by genetically modified foodstuffs for human health and the treatment options open to doctors? Could it lead to an increase in non-controllable infectious diseases?

What other genetically modified products demonstrate the same risks?

Does the increased resistance to pesticides lead to more being used? What effects does increased use have on the health of consumers?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (18 November 1996)

Under Directive 90/220/EEC ((OJ L 117, 8.5.1990. )) Member States ensure that all appropriate measures are taken to avoid adverse effects on human health and the environment which might arise from the placing on the market of genetically modified organisms. In this context an applicant notifying for placing on the market of a product containing genetically modified organisms has to supply all information necessary for evaluating the foreseeable risks of the product to human health or the environment.

The Commission has received one notification to placing on the market genetically modified maize containing a non-expressed ampicillin resistance gene. The question of possible adverse effects on human or animal health from the introduction of the ampicilline resistance gene has been submitted by the Commission to the scientific committees for food and animal nutrition for scientific assessment.

Currently, the likelihood of development of antibiotic resistance and the possible impact on human health and on the treatment options open to doctors caused by genetically modified food are evaluated case by case according to the requirements of Directive 90/220/EEC and can not be stated in general.

The Commission has proposed a regulation on novel foods and novel food ingredients ((COM(92) 295; modified proposals COM(93) 631 and COM(96) 229. )) which provides for a comprehensive safety assessment of all novel foods. Each new foodstuff would be evaluated on a case by case basis, including a detailed evaluation by the scientific committee for food, where necessary.

As explained by the Commission in reply to Written Question E-2292/96 of the Honorable Member ((See page 25. )) the use of modern biotechnology does not necessarily result in an increase of resistance to pesticides. Furthermore, under Directive 91/414/EEC ((OJ L 230, 19.8.1991. )), a plant protection product may not be authorized unless it has no harmful effect on human health, directly or indirectly, and an authorization has to be cancelled if there are reasons to believe that such an effect could occur.