Food and nutrition are useful study for all people, particularly health practitioners. Food is a subject of great community interest and technical developments demand disinterested scientific opinion.

We therefore present two thoughtful articles on genetically modified (GM) food which reach opposing conclusions. We urge you to conduct your own research on this vital subject, and communicate your thoughts within this forum and others. New Doctor has no shareholders or advertisers to please. We see our role as encouraging a balanced discussion for serious readers.

We think people are justified in holding concerns about GM food. Ostensibly to improve yields and to feed the starving masses, the desire for profit drives the development of GM food. That the ownership of this technology is held by the agricultural industrial complex raises great concerns. As doctors we know how the medical industrial complex can “vertically integrate” medical care to the detriment of patient care. Agri-business does the same by owning the seed, pesticide, farms, processing equipment and final food product.

It is unacceptable that, on an important subject like the composition of our daily bread, it is difficult to get the truth. Our Prime Minister disregards public opinion by opposing basic labelling of foodstuffs. The profits of large corporations appear a higher priority than allowing citizens a choice in their consumption. Given that the stakes for the community may be high, it is outrageous when the community’s representatives in government are willingly subservient to big business.

Also raised in this issue are bioethicist Peter Singer’s views, Iraq, Medecins Sans Frontieres and concerns of the Australian Medical Students Association. As usual, News and Notes, Media Voices, Book Reviews and Letters are featured. Happy reading.

Alf, Andrew and Theo

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