Green light for use
of GM horse vaccines
Radio
Updated at 7:05pm on 19 November 2008
The use of geneticaly-modified
organisms has been approved in
The Environmental Risk Management Authority has sanctioned
an application for two genetically-modified equine flu vaccines to be held for
use in case of an outbreak.
The authority says approval for the GM organism-based
vaccines was given after deciding that the benefits outweighed any risk to the
environment.
The New Zealand Racing Board and the Equine Health
Association jointly applied for the right to use the genetically-modified
vaccines.
The racing industry says if equine influenza was discovered
in
GE-Free New Zealand says it believes the racing industry was
pressured into calling for genetically-modified horse flu vaccines.
President Claire Bleakley says
there is no need for the vaccines and the industry may have been pressured to
apply for their use.
"I believe that there is probably incredible company
and money pressure behind the industry," she says. "The industry has
not necessarily chosen to do this, probably the vaccine manufacturer has apporached them and asked them to consider it as part of
their toolbox."
Ms Bleakely says the decison compromises
She says there is little case for the new vaccines, given
that non-GM based vaccines are available.
However, the Racing Board says the GM vaccines will be
crucial in tackling any outbreak of equine influenza in
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