Learnings From EBP-BIOSOC

For Researches On GMOs

EBP BIOSOC Seminar

June 4, 2009. Paris

Ricroch & Jésus (2009). Consultations of stakeholders on the roles of research in relation to genetically modified plants in France. Public Understanding of Science. 18, 1: 91-102

The use of GMOs in agriculture is subject to intense

debate in the European Union (EU), rendering the policy-

making process quite problematic, with no obvious

consensual position or acceptable compromise emerging.

The situation is aggravated by the great mistrust citizens

have developed towards policy-makers on the matter

(Ricroch & Jésus 2009).

Introduction

• Should scientific information in environment and health be

used for the elaboration of public policies based on

evidence, it matters how this information is actually used,

namely how designers of measures mobilize sources of

scientific knowledge, assess their quality, and take their

empirical validity into account when drawing up public

policies.

• The question of which scientific knowledge is mobilized for

the implementation of public policies in agriculture is

crucial to measure the environmental impact of GM crops

(ERA, Environmental Risk Assessment).

• However, although GM crops have been the subject of

much publicly funded research and a huge literature,

this seems to have increased controversy rather than

assisted decision-makers.

• BioSoc Lesson 1:

Interdisciplinarity is needed to address sustainable development questions.

How can one organize the cultivation of GM maize and not-GM maize in proximity to each other while avoiding significant intermixture?

GM maize (herbicide tolerant or insect resistant) is the only GM crop grown commercially in the EU.

Sandivo et al. 2008

The pollen flow is major in the first meters adjacent to the emission source and decreases greatly as the distance source-sink increases.

The observed rate is 0.98% in the first 10 meters from the source-plot, 0.34% between 10 m and 20 m, and 0.11% between 50 m and 60 m.

1- Field observations are needed to measure in natura the gene flow

2- Modelling helps to establishing rules of co-existence between GM and non-GM cropping systems

Henry et al. 2003

Mechanistic models

came out involving GIS data. The advantage is to predict the possibility of co-existence based on density of GM crops, landscape structure, climate and socio-economic issues.

Klein, et al. Corn pollen dispersal: quasi-mechanistic models and field experiments. Ecol. Monogr. 73 (2003) 131-150

Henry, Morgan, Weekes, Daniels and Boffey (2003). Farm scale evaluations of GM crops: monitoring gene flow from GM crops to non-GM equivalent crops in the vicinity. Part I: forage maize. UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. DEFRA report.

Klein et al. 2003

Statistical models

allow calculating separation distances between source-fields and sink-fields

Messeguer et al. 2006

Wind direction

Messeguer ,Penas, Ballester, Bas, Serra, Salvia, Palaudelmas & Mele (2006). Pollen-mediated gene flow in maize in real situations of co-existence. Plant Biotechnology J. 4(6) 633-645

Experimental data obtained in 55 plots have be modelled as an exponentially decreasing function with average values less than 0.9% at 25 m.

Isolation distances of GM maize fields recommended by the EU countries

EU Country Isolation distances of GM maize (in metres)

Sweden 25 NL 25 France 50 Ireland 50 Spain 50 Czech Republic 70 UK 110 Germany 150 Romania 150 Belgium (Wallonie) 200 Danemark 200 Poland 200 Portugal 200 Slovakia 200 Hungary 400 Luxembourg 800

50 m

GM maize field

non-GM maize field

Devos, Demont & Sanvido, Coexistence in the EU - return of the moratorium on GM crops? Nature Biotechnololy 26 (2008) 1223-1225

Devos, Demont, & Sanvido (2008)

All data (562 publications) we reviewed demonstrate that a separation distance of

20 m is sufficient to achieve the EU 0.9% threshold (if there is a sufficient delay of

flowering between varieties) (Ricroch, Bergé & Messean 2009).

Ricroch, Bergé & Messéan 2009. Literature Review On The Dispersal Of Transgenes From Genetically Modified Maize. Comptes-Rendus Biologies de l’Académie des Sciences (in press)

Conclusions

• Due to progress in modelling it seems better to determine the

separation distance according to spatial diversity of land users and

not to a national situation.

• In practice, isolation distances between GM and non-GM maize

fields will probably not be defined purely based on scientific data

since isolation distances will also be influenced by political, social

and economical factors.

What are the effects of GM crop under natural field conditions on non-target organisms?

A non-target organism (NTO) is an organism which is affected by an interaction for which it was not the intended recipient.

• A proper scientific risk assessment of the impact of GM

maize cultivation on NTO requires consideration of both

the hazard (expression of toxicity) and the likelihood

of exposure to the hazard (i.e. the Cry1Ab toxin).

• Thus, laboratory studies are a useful step in the risk assessment of the impact of insect-resistant GM crops which allows characterizing potential hazards to the environment.

Romeis, Meissle & Bigler. Transgenic crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis toxins and biological control. Nature Biotechnology 24, 63 - 71 (2006)

Decision tree to determine nontarget effects of Bt plants on natural enemies (parasitoids and predators) feeding on either host/prey species or directly on plant material (e.g. pollen) in studies under confined conditions (Romeis et al. 2006)

• Laboratory studies may facilitate building up in natura

studies to provide a significant contribution to the field of

agricultural ecology, both in terms of basic understanding

of the crops being examined, and in terms of the

development of monitoring techniques and methodology

for measuring agricultural biodiversity.

• The exposure to potential hazards needs to be assessed

in realistic situations, namely under natural field

conditions, before conclusions can be drawn on the risk

presented by these crops.

• Ecology concentrates on the relationships between

organisms and between organisms and their

environments; it focuses on patterns of distribution,

patterns of abundance, factors that determine the range

of environments that organisms occupy and that

determine how abundant organisms are within those

ranges, and functional interactions between co-occurring

organisms (Burel, Allsopp, Ricroch & Baudry, in preparation).

we propose (i) a tiered approach (step-wise): in natura observations:

should include

long-term observations,

large-scale studies

farm-scale evaluations

- to detect minor effects occasionally observed under field conditions. - to monitor the effect of crop succession on agricultural biodiversity.

To characterize the impact of GM cropping systems on biodiversity

and (ii) relevant comparisons with the impact of

non-GM varieties

- to detect ecologically important changes for various biodiversity indicators.

laboratory studies:

if early tests in the lab. bear uncertainty, further well-designed lab. studies can ensure that results are relevant to in natura observations.

- to set-up diagnostic tests - to detect toxicological impacts

• BioSoc Lesson 2:

Metaknowledge is needed for decision making.

However, this meta-knowledge is available

for GMOs. The problem is the fact that the

political decision was not based on this

available knowledge but on selected

individual (laboratory) studies?

• We provided a critical assessment of the two “new” publications cited by the German authorities which used daphnia and ladybirds.

• Both publications were conducted under laboratory conditions.

• We reviewed the earlier references cited in the German document and examine in a scientific risk assessment perspective the claims of the German authorities.

• We also examined the existing scientific literature on the impact of the GM maize available when the German document was issued.

• We discussed the actual scientific evidence available in the literature and that which has been actually used for this policy-decision and the way the empirical validity of scientific knowledge is taken into account.

Context: We examine the justification invoked by the German government in 17, April 2009 to suspend the

cultivation of the Bt insect-resistant maize.

Field of investigation MON810

(at least)

Cry1A

(at least)

Cry (other

than 1A)

Transgene

unspecified

Total number

of publications

Agronomy 10 2 4 8 24

Coexistence 4 0 0 13 17

Transgene Detection 5 4 2 0 11

Health 2 0 1 4 7

Impact on plant components 3 1 1 2 7

Impact on insecticide use 2 0 1 9 12

Impact on non-target

arthropods

8 a 15 7 11 41

Impact on microorganisms

(incl. nematodes)

4 3 1 2 10

Mode of action 0 0 1 0 1

Persistance of transgene or

transprotein in the

environment

5 5 5 1 16

Pollen or/and seed transport 6 1 0 14 21

Resistance of target organisms 2 9 5 7 23

Not defined - - - - 2

In our systematic reviewing of updated literature using keywords

‘Maize or Corn’ and ‘Insect and Resistance’, 171 peer-reviewed

references were selected: 137 from 2008 and 34 from 2009(Ricroch, Bergé & Kuntz 2009)

Our database contains 15,000 references approx. (Bergé & Ricroch).

- built from selected references from Ingenta, PubMed, WoK using the keyword ‘transgen* AND (plant* Or crop*)’.

- is maintained by the analysis of table of contents of 507 journals BioOne, Elsevier, Science Direct, Springer, etc.,the monitoring of 352 journals (Chinese journals with automatic on-line translator, proceedings of symposia, etc.), and the monitoring of 530 other journals.

Ricroch, Bergé & Kuntz 2009. Is the German Suspension of MON810 Maize Cultivation Scientifically Justified? Transgenic Research (open access pape.r June 6, 2009)

• An extensive body of research data has been assembled e.g. on

NTO impacts of GM maize

(41 articles in 2008 and 2009, and 376 publications from 1996 to 2008)

• The conclusions of 7 recent meta-analyses show insecticide

treatment has a bigger impact on NTO than Bt maize.

• Our systematic review demonstrates that the available meta-

knowledge on GM maize was ignored by the German government

who instead used selected individual studies which fit what seems to

be a political decision.

• Similarly, the French government organized a stakeholder dialogue in

2007, which did not allow the emergence of the best scientific data

available on GMOs, but led the French government to suspend the

cultivation of Bt Maize in 2008 on the basis of selected studies fitting

the political agreement of this stakeholder dialogue.

• This strategy of political authorities does not take into account the

findings of a recent unbiased stakeholder consultation in France

(Ricroch and Jesus 2009) which established that, for all stakeholders,

raising the objectivity of the debate on GMOs is the most important

request.

77 French stakeholders (laboratory researchers, environmental and consumers’ associations, seed producers, farmers, seed firms, and food firms, distribution, insurance agents, trade unions, representative politicians, jurists, and economists)

Ricroch Agnès and Franck Jésus (2009). Consultations of stakeholders on the roles of research in relation to genetically modified plants in France. Public Understand of Science 18, 1: 91-102

Main outcomes of national stakeholder interviews and round-tables

Conclusions

• The results of our analyses of the German decision regarding MON810

and of the dispersal of transgenes converge on one conclusion:

the necessity to create meta-knowledge (systematic reviews, meta-

analyses) for action in policy-making.

• Quantitative reviews of existing studies are necessary for better gauging

risks and improving future environmental risk assessments (ERA).

• There is a crucial requirement for meta-knowledge to help bridge the gap

between research for ERA and policy-making.

use, abuse and misuse of scientific knowledge in policy-

making: some examples

– How scientific knowledge can be (mis)used in political legitimation of public decisions as well as in communication strategies and in industrial or political lobbying

• David Michaels, Doubt is their Product, Subtitle: “How Industry’s assault on science threatens your health” (Oxford University Press, 2008)

• Thomas O. McGarity & Wendy E. Wagner, Bending Science: How special interests corrupt public health research, Harvard UniversityPress, 2008

• Michaels: the strategy of « manufacturing uncertainty » by preventing or postponing the regulation of hazardous products by questioning the science that reveals the hazards in the first place.

– Tobacco industrials :“ doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the “body of fact” that exists in the minds of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy”

The tobacco case

• A long history

• Adjusting to the tobacco market or creating a market of addiction? The tobacco burst after the industrial production of blond cigarettes

• The dangers of the cigarette: from suspicion to scientific evidence

• Big Tobacco strategy

Some uncertainties put forward to counter « antitobacco » science :

• Is smoking really responsible for those premature deaths? (what is the mechanism?)

• Is smoking the only factor (what about other factors of cancer or mesothelioma or cardiovascular problems?)

• Is nicotine really addictive? (only an important flavour ingredient, other factors of addiction)

• Is secondhand smoke really dangerous?

• “our regulatory programs will not be effective if absolute proof is required before we act; the best available evidence must be sufficient. Yet we see a growing trend that disingenuously demands proof over precaution in the realm of public health. Although industry certainly deserves the harshest denunciation, environmental activists can also be guilty of using the existence of scientific uncertainty to advance policy aims through an overzealous application of the “precautionary principle”. If the weighing of potential risks and benefits is transformed into a demand for assurance that a policy or action will result in no harm, scientific advances of public health interventions with the potential to genuinely improve the human condition can be disparaged and delayed.”

Michaels, p. 60