Posted on 01/15/2004 9:48:10 AM PST by RightWingAtheist
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Two public interest groups that want to block sales of fluorescent zebra fish — the nation's first biotech household pet — sued the federal government Wednesday.
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to order the Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) and the Department of Health and Human Services (news - web sites) to halt sales of the trademarked GloFish until the government regulates the genetically modified animal.
The normally black-and-silver zebra fish glow bright red under black or ultraviolet light thanks to a gene transplanted from a sea anemone. Sales of the Florida-grown fish began this month everywhere in the country except California, which banned the fish in December.
Not regulating the GloFish sets "a dangerous precedent for all future gene-altered animals, whether created as food or pet fads," said Joseph Mendelson, legal director for the Center for Food Safety, which filed the suit along with the Center for Technology Assessment.
The FDA said last month it will not regulate the fish because it is not intended for human consumption. A spokeswoman said Wednesday the FDA stands by that statement.
GloFish are a product of Yorktown Technologies LLP of Austin, Texas. The company's chief executive, Alan Blake, said scientific studies have shown the fish are safe and the lawsuit is without merit.
The federal suit, filed in Washington, D.C., alleges the benign fluorescing gene was inserted using other genes derived from animal and human viruses as well as antibiotic resistant bacteria.
The suit alleges the hidden genes can threaten human and animal health if the biotech fish are released and consumed by other fish that eventually are eaten by humans.
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On the Net:
Read the lawsuit at www.centerforfoodsafety.org/li/GloFishComplaint.pdf
Yorktown Technologies: www.glofish.com
And here I thought that we simply digested the fats, proteins and various vitamins and minerals; then pooped the remains out. I guess I must now genetically be part chicken, pig, fish, cow, buffaloo, snail, shrimp, clam, rabbit, squirrel, rattlesnake, aligator and whatever "mystery meat" they serve on the airlines.
Viruses?! OMG! Were all gonna die!!!!
"Antibiotic resistant bacteria" - big time stretch here. This is just a standard laboratory technique to produce lots of cloned DNA. These people are making it sound like the black plague.
Besides this gene was taken from naturally fluorescent soft corals. Nothing to worry about. These zebras wouldnt survive in the wild anyway since most of the water in N.America is too cold and the RFP would basically act as a big neon "EAT ME" sign.
Green fluorescent mice have existed for a few years. I dont think they are commercially available though.
But maybe someone should patent transgenic dogs....hmmmm.
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