Study reveals how patients experience direct-to-consumer genetic testing

Public release date: 16-Jul-2013
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Contact: Jim Ritter
jritter@lumc.edu
708-216-2445
Loyola University Health System

MAYWOOD, Il. Several companies sell genetic testing directly to consumers, but little research has been done on how consumers experience such tests. The tests have raised questions about the validity and accuracy of the information provided to consumers especially without the involvement of a qualified health care professional.

Now, a study lead by a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researcher is providing insight into how a diverse sample of primary care patients experience genetic testing.

Lead researcher Katherine Wasson, PhD, MPH, and colleagues conducted in-depth interviews with 20 patients recruited from primary care clinics. Among the findings, published online ahead of print in the Journal of Community Genetics:

• Most participants thought results were fairly easy to understand with the help of a genetic counselor (provided by the study, not the testing company). But fewer than half said they might be able to understand results on their own.
• Most participants expressed no concern or hesitation about testing. But a few worried about confidentiality especially whether results could affect their health insurance coverage. A few also expressed fears about getting bad results. As one participant explained, "I mean, you want to know, but then you don't want to know."
• Participants gave several reasons why they decided to undergo testing. Most simply said they were curious. "I don't have a scientific background, so a lot of it is just fascinating to see how all of that can spin out," one participant said. Many also said test results would provide knowledge they could act on, and help them prepare for the future. Said one: "If you know that there's something going on you can go ahead and fix it now and not have to try to fix it later when it's already unfixable." A few participants wanted to help their families or the next generation, or more broadly, contribute to research and medical science.
• Most participants were pleased with results of the tests, mainly because they had not received bad news, despite the uncertainty of the results. "This makes me feel great," said one such participant. "I know I'll be around at least another year or two."
• About half the participants said they had made no changes in response to results, mainly because there was nothing on which to act. But among a few participants, receiving "low-risk" results was a motivating factor to improve their health behavior, mainly through more exercise and a better diet.
• One year after testing, most participants said they would take the test again, and recommend it to others. "It's as if you stepped into a time capsule and you went ahead in time and you can see something," one participant said.

Patients were interviewed individually four times: during an initial session in which a saliva sample was given; 4 to 6 weeks later, when they received results; 3 months after receiving results; and 12 months after receiving results. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.

The patients ranged in age from 29 to 63; the average age was 49.5. Sixty percent were female, 50 percent were white and 50 percent were African American. Thirty percent were high school graduates, 40 percent had some college, 25 percent were college graduates and 5 percent were postgraduates.

Researchers concluded: "This longitudinal, qualitative study adds more in-depth information to the emerging data on participants' decision-making process about, experience of and reactions to direct-to-consumer testing over time. . . It is possible that our findings could be relevant to more general consumers with similar demographics, though further investigation is needed."

###

Companies such as 23andMe and Navigenics test consumers' genomes for single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis; for risks of developing complex disorders involving multiple genes, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes; for sensitivities to drugs such as Coumadin; and for traits such as hair color, eye color and baldness. Costs range from roughly $100 to $1,500. Consumers can order these tests directly and receive results without the involvement of a qualified health-care professional, such as a geneticist or genetic counselor.

Wasson, first author of the study, is an assistant professor in the Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics in Loyola's Stritch School of Medicine. Other authors Tonya Nashay Sanders, MA, PhD, an assistant professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore; Nancy S. Hogan, PhD, RN, a distinguished professor in Loyola's Niehoff School of Nursing; Sara Cherny, MS, CGC, of Cadence Health and Kathy J. Helzisouer, MD, MHS, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 16-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Ritter
jritter@lumc.edu
708-216-2445
Loyola University Health System

MAYWOOD, Il. Several companies sell genetic testing directly to consumers, but little research has been done on how consumers experience such tests. The tests have raised questions about the validity and accuracy of the information provided to consumers especially without the involvement of a qualified health care professional.

Now, a study lead by a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researcher is providing insight into how a diverse sample of primary care patients experience genetic testing.

Lead researcher Katherine Wasson, PhD, MPH, and colleagues conducted in-depth interviews with 20 patients recruited from primary care clinics. Among the findings, published online ahead of print in the Journal of Community Genetics:

• Most participants thought results were fairly easy to understand with the help of a genetic counselor (provided by the study, not the testing company). But fewer than half said they might be able to understand results on their own.
• Most participants expressed no concern or hesitation about testing. But a few worried about confidentiality especially whether results could affect their health insurance coverage. A few also expressed fears about getting bad results. As one participant explained, "I mean, you want to know, but then you don't want to know."
• Participants gave several reasons why they decided to undergo testing. Most simply said they were curious. "I don't have a scientific background, so a lot of it is just fascinating to see how all of that can spin out," one participant said. Many also said test results would provide knowledge they could act on, and help them prepare for the future. Said one: "If you know that there's something going on you can go ahead and fix it now and not have to try to fix it later when it's already unfixable." A few participants wanted to help their families or the next generation, or more broadly, contribute to research and medical science.
• Most participants were pleased with results of the tests, mainly because they had not received bad news, despite the uncertainty of the results. "This makes me feel great," said one such participant. "I know I'll be around at least another year or two."
• About half the participants said they had made no changes in response to results, mainly because there was nothing on which to act. But among a few participants, receiving "low-risk" results was a motivating factor to improve their health behavior, mainly through more exercise and a better diet.
• One year after testing, most participants said they would take the test again, and recommend it to others. "It's as if you stepped into a time capsule and you went ahead in time and you can see something," one participant said.

Patients were interviewed individually four times: during an initial session in which a saliva sample was given; 4 to 6 weeks later, when they received results; 3 months after receiving results; and 12 months after receiving results. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.

The patients ranged in age from 29 to 63; the average age was 49.5. Sixty percent were female, 50 percent were white and 50 percent were African American. Thirty percent were high school graduates, 40 percent had some college, 25 percent were college graduates and 5 percent were postgraduates.

Researchers concluded: "This longitudinal, qualitative study adds more in-depth information to the emerging data on participants' decision-making process about, experience of and reactions to direct-to-consumer testing over time. . . It is possible that our findings could be relevant to more general consumers with similar demographics, though further investigation is needed."

###

Companies such as 23andMe and Navigenics test consumers' genomes for single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis; for risks of developing complex disorders involving multiple genes, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes; for sensitivities to drugs such as Coumadin; and for traits such as hair color, eye color and baldness. Costs range from roughly $100 to $1,500. Consumers can order these tests directly and receive results without the involvement of a qualified health-care professional, such as a geneticist or genetic counselor.

Wasson, first author of the study, is an assistant professor in the Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics in Loyola's Stritch School of Medicine. Other authors Tonya Nashay Sanders, MA, PhD, an assistant professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore; Nancy S. Hogan, PhD, RN, a distinguished professor in Loyola's Niehoff School of Nursing; Sara Cherny, MS, CGC, of Cadence Health and Kathy J. Helzisouer, MD, MHS, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/luhs-srh071613.php

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Storytelling program helps change medical students' perspectives on dementia

Public release date: 18-Jun-2013
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Contact: Matthew Solovey
msolovey@hmc.psu.edu
717-531-8606
Penn State

Treating patients with dementia can be viewed as a difficult task for doctors, but Penn State College of Medicine researchers say that storytelling may be one way to improve medical students' perceptions of people affected by the condition. Participation in a creative storytelling program called TimeSlips creates a substantial improvement in student attitudes.

Daniel George, assistant professor of humanities, tested the effects of the TimeSlips program in an elective course he teaches at the college. Fourth-year medical students worked with patients at Country Meadows, a Hershey-based assisted living community. These patients are affected by advanced dementia and live in a memory-support unit requiring a locked environment.

Medical students commonly perceive persons with dementia as being challenging to work with.

"We currently lack effective drugs for dementia, and there's a sense that these are cases where students can't do much to benefit the patient," George said. "The perception is that they're hard to extract information from, you don't know if that information is reliable, and there are often other complicated medical issues to deal with."

TimeSlips is a non-pharmacological approach to dementia care that uses creative storytelling in a group setting and encourages participants to use their imagination rather than focusing on their inability to remember chronologically. Pictures with a staged, surreal image --for example, an elephant sitting on a park bench -- are shared with all participants, who are encouraged to share their impressions of what is happening in the picture. As part of George's elective, medical students spent one month facilitating TimeSlips with groups of five to 10 residents and helping the residents build stories in poem form during their interactions.

"All comments made during a session -- even ones that do not necessarily make logical sense -- are validated and put into the poem because it is an attempt to express meaning," George said. "The sessions become energetic and lively as the residents are able to communicate imaginatively, in a less linear way. In the process, students come to see dementia differently. It is very humanizing, revealing personality and remaining strengths where our culture tends to just focus on disease, decline and loss."

Student attitudes were measured before and after the TimeSlips experience using a validated instrument called the Dementia Attitudes Scale. A significant improvement in overall attitude was observed over the course of the program, and students also demonstrated significant increases on sub-scales measuring comfort with people with dementia and knowledge about interacting with and treating these patients. Results were reported in the journal Academic Medicine.

"In talking with my students, they consistently express their anxieties about medical school training them to see patients as a diagnosis rather than as a fully-fledged person," George said. "An activity like TimeSlips, which emphasizes the creative spirit in people with fairly advanced dementia, helps give students a richer sense of who the person was and what made them tick."

At Penn State College of Medicine, which emphasizes the humanities in medical care and established the first Department of Humanities at a medical school in the nation, George hopes to expand TimeSlips volunteer opportunities to include all medical students and not exclusively fourth-year students. By reaching students earlier in their education and exposing them to a creative activity involving people with dementia, he hopes that TimeSlips could help nudge more trainees into geriatric medicine.

"As the incidence of dementia-related conditions is rising globally, the demand for high-quality, humanistic geriatric care is becoming more urgent," George said.

There has already been an effort to extend TimeSlips volunteer opportunities to nurses, faculty, staff and patients.

"Several patients from our hospital, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, have already begun taking part in the program," he said. "Even though they are experiencing their own illnesses, they are able to find purpose in helping another vulnerable population through creative storytelling."

###

Co-authors of the study are Heather Stuckey, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, and Megan Whitehead, research assistant, Department of Humanities, both of Penn State College of Medicine.

George has volunteered on an advisory board for Timeslips with no financial stake in the project. No funding was provided for this study.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 18-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Matthew Solovey
msolovey@hmc.psu.edu
717-531-8606
Penn State

Treating patients with dementia can be viewed as a difficult task for doctors, but Penn State College of Medicine researchers say that storytelling may be one way to improve medical students' perceptions of people affected by the condition. Participation in a creative storytelling program called TimeSlips creates a substantial improvement in student attitudes.

Daniel George, assistant professor of humanities, tested the effects of the TimeSlips program in an elective course he teaches at the college. Fourth-year medical students worked with patients at Country Meadows, a Hershey-based assisted living community. These patients are affected by advanced dementia and live in a memory-support unit requiring a locked environment.

Medical students commonly perceive persons with dementia as being challenging to work with.

"We currently lack effective drugs for dementia, and there's a sense that these are cases where students can't do much to benefit the patient," George said. "The perception is that they're hard to extract information from, you don't know if that information is reliable, and there are often other complicated medical issues to deal with."

TimeSlips is a non-pharmacological approach to dementia care that uses creative storytelling in a group setting and encourages participants to use their imagination rather than focusing on their inability to remember chronologically. Pictures with a staged, surreal image --for example, an elephant sitting on a park bench -- are shared with all participants, who are encouraged to share their impressions of what is happening in the picture. As part of George's elective, medical students spent one month facilitating TimeSlips with groups of five to 10 residents and helping the residents build stories in poem form during their interactions.

"All comments made during a session -- even ones that do not necessarily make logical sense -- are validated and put into the poem because it is an attempt to express meaning," George said. "The sessions become energetic and lively as the residents are able to communicate imaginatively, in a less linear way. In the process, students come to see dementia differently. It is very humanizing, revealing personality and remaining strengths where our culture tends to just focus on disease, decline and loss."

Student attitudes were measured before and after the TimeSlips experience using a validated instrument called the Dementia Attitudes Scale. A significant improvement in overall attitude was observed over the course of the program, and students also demonstrated significant increases on sub-scales measuring comfort with people with dementia and knowledge about interacting with and treating these patients. Results were reported in the journal Academic Medicine.

"In talking with my students, they consistently express their anxieties about medical school training them to see patients as a diagnosis rather than as a fully-fledged person," George said. "An activity like TimeSlips, which emphasizes the creative spirit in people with fairly advanced dementia, helps give students a richer sense of who the person was and what made them tick."

At Penn State College of Medicine, which emphasizes the humanities in medical care and established the first Department of Humanities at a medical school in the nation, George hopes to expand TimeSlips volunteer opportunities to include all medical students and not exclusively fourth-year students. By reaching students earlier in their education and exposing them to a creative activity involving people with dementia, he hopes that TimeSlips could help nudge more trainees into geriatric medicine.

"As the incidence of dementia-related conditions is rising globally, the demand for high-quality, humanistic geriatric care is becoming more urgent," George said.

There has already been an effort to extend TimeSlips volunteer opportunities to nurses, faculty, staff and patients.

"Several patients from our hospital, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, have already begun taking part in the program," he said. "Even though they are experiencing their own illnesses, they are able to find purpose in helping another vulnerable population through creative storytelling."

###

Co-authors of the study are Heather Stuckey, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, and Megan Whitehead, research assistant, Department of Humanities, both of Penn State College of Medicine.

George has volunteered on an advisory board for Timeslips with no financial stake in the project. No funding was provided for this study.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/ps-sph061813.php

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Handling big data and small data in a sustainable way

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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Contact: Dr. Rembert Unterstell
rembert.unterstell@dfg.de
49-228-885-2275
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

DFG approves new funding program for research data infrastructures

This release is available in German.

As in other areas, science and research are generating digital data faster and in larger volumes than ever before. The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) wants to help researchers in every discipline, from Assyriology to Zoology, to use data more effectively. The Joint Committee of Germany's largest research funding organisation has decided to launch a new funding programme. Its purpose is ensure that quality-assured research data, which is frequently collected at great financial expense in a time-consuming process, is secured on a more permanent basis and made available for re-use by researchers at a later date.

According to current estimates, the global sea of data generated by our digital world doubles in size every two years. In Germany and in the rest of the world, this is giving rise to the question of how these huge flows of data in general, and research data in particular, should be dealt with. Against this background, the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany formulated the "Principles for the Handling of Research Data" (2010), EU experts presented the paper "Riding the Wave" (2010) and the DFG approved the paper "Taking Digital Transformation to the Next Level" (2012). Furthermore, the German Council of Science and Humanities approved analyses and recommendations to develop information infrastructures in Germany (2012). In the view of all the organisations involved, a new way to manage research data should be given priority.

The new funding programme is the DFG's practical response to discussions and recommendations. The objective of the new funding offered by the DFG is to institute and maintain helpful structures for research data that are oriented towards the demand and requirements of science. The programme will fund projects to develop sustainable concepts and solutions ranging from transregional data infrastructures for one or more disciplines to enhancements to existing infrastructure, taking account of international standards and cross-border cooperation.

With the new funding line, the DFG is hoping that more disciplines will establish a structure that can be seen to encourage innovation. A crucial factor here is a change of awareness towards recognising the significance of quality-assured data management that will take steps towards the re-use of research data. The new funding programme is intended to make a contribution in this respect.

###

Further Information

More information about the new funding programme can be found here: http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/infrastructure/lis/funding_opportunities/research_data/index.html

DFG programme contact:

Dr. Stefan Winkler-Nees, Scientific Library Services and Information Systems, Tel. +49 228 885-2212, Stefan.Winkler-Nees@dfg.de

Dr. Katja Hartig, Life Sciences 1, Scientific Library Services and Information Systems, Tel. +49 228 885-2359, Katja.Hartig@dfg.de

DFG Press and Public Relations contact:

Dr. Rembert Unterstell, Tel. +49 228 885-2275, Rembert.Unterstell@dfg.de

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Rembert Unterstell
rembert.unterstell@dfg.de
49-228-885-2275
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

DFG approves new funding program for research data infrastructures

This release is available in German.

As in other areas, science and research are generating digital data faster and in larger volumes than ever before. The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) wants to help researchers in every discipline, from Assyriology to Zoology, to use data more effectively. The Joint Committee of Germany's largest research funding organisation has decided to launch a new funding programme. Its purpose is ensure that quality-assured research data, which is frequently collected at great financial expense in a time-consuming process, is secured on a more permanent basis and made available for re-use by researchers at a later date.

According to current estimates, the global sea of data generated by our digital world doubles in size every two years. In Germany and in the rest of the world, this is giving rise to the question of how these huge flows of data in general, and research data in particular, should be dealt with. Against this background, the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany formulated the "Principles for the Handling of Research Data" (2010), EU experts presented the paper "Riding the Wave" (2010) and the DFG approved the paper "Taking Digital Transformation to the Next Level" (2012). Furthermore, the German Council of Science and Humanities approved analyses and recommendations to develop information infrastructures in Germany (2012). In the view of all the organisations involved, a new way to manage research data should be given priority.

The new funding programme is the DFG's practical response to discussions and recommendations. The objective of the new funding offered by the DFG is to institute and maintain helpful structures for research data that are oriented towards the demand and requirements of science. The programme will fund projects to develop sustainable concepts and solutions ranging from transregional data infrastructures for one or more disciplines to enhancements to existing infrastructure, taking account of international standards and cross-border cooperation.

With the new funding line, the DFG is hoping that more disciplines will establish a structure that can be seen to encourage innovation. A crucial factor here is a change of awareness towards recognising the significance of quality-assured data management that will take steps towards the re-use of research data. The new funding programme is intended to make a contribution in this respect.

###

Further Information

More information about the new funding programme can be found here: http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/infrastructure/lis/funding_opportunities/research_data/index.html

DFG programme contact:

Dr. Stefan Winkler-Nees, Scientific Library Services and Information Systems, Tel. +49 228 885-2212, Stefan.Winkler-Nees@dfg.de

Dr. Katja Hartig, Life Sciences 1, Scientific Library Services and Information Systems, Tel. +49 228 885-2359, Katja.Hartig@dfg.de

DFG Press and Public Relations contact:

Dr. Rembert Unterstell, Tel. +49 228 885-2275, Rembert.Unterstell@dfg.de

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/df-hbd032813.php

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Contraband tobacco use hinders smoking cessation

Public release date: 4-Mar-2013
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Contact: Kim Barnhardt
kim.barnhardt@cmaj.ca
613-520-7116 x2224
Canadian Medical Association Journal

People who smoke low-cost contraband cigarettes in Canada are less likely to stop smoking in the short term compared with people who smoke more expensive premium or discount cigarettes, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

"We posit that the substantial price gap between premium/discount and contraband cigarettes is the reason for this correlation," writes Graham Mecredy, Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, Toronto, Ontario, with coauthors.

Contraband cigarettes are available in Canada through various channels, including smuggling from the United States, illegal production in Canada or diversion from tax-exempt First Nations users. The estimated contraband tobacco market in 2008 in Ontario, the country's largest province, made up to 42% of total cigarette sales. Premium and discount cigarettes cost an average of $6.30$10.30 for 20 cigarettes compared with $2.50 for contraband cigarettes.

During the first 6 months of the study, 19% of contraband cigarette smokers tried to quit compared with 30% of the other smokers. Of those who smoked premium/discount cigarettes, 11% quit smoking for at least 30 days compared with only 4% of people who smoked contraband cigarettes.

"Using the consumer demand theory, which suggests that consumption decreases as price increases, and the strong evidence linking high tobacco prices to reduced consumption at the population level, the correlation between the low price of contraband tobacco and poorer smoking cessation is logical," state the authors.

However, the availability of low-cost contraband cigarettes did not prevent people from making a quit attempt, a finding that supports previous studies that indicate that quit attempts and smoking cessation are affected by different factors.

"Given that smoking contraband cigarettes has a negative influence on cessation outcomes, tobacco control policies that reduce or eliminate access to contraband tobacco may have a substantial impact on population-level quitting behaviour," write the authors. "To optimize the public health benefits of current and future tobacco control initiatives, innovative solutions that address the accessibility of contraband tobacco are required."

The authors point out that enforcement alone will not solve the problem but that First Nations communities, which are often the entry point for contraband tobacco, should be engaged in helping address this issue.

###

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 4-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Barnhardt
kim.barnhardt@cmaj.ca
613-520-7116 x2224
Canadian Medical Association Journal

People who smoke low-cost contraband cigarettes in Canada are less likely to stop smoking in the short term compared with people who smoke more expensive premium or discount cigarettes, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

"We posit that the substantial price gap between premium/discount and contraband cigarettes is the reason for this correlation," writes Graham Mecredy, Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, Toronto, Ontario, with coauthors.

Contraband cigarettes are available in Canada through various channels, including smuggling from the United States, illegal production in Canada or diversion from tax-exempt First Nations users. The estimated contraband tobacco market in 2008 in Ontario, the country's largest province, made up to 42% of total cigarette sales. Premium and discount cigarettes cost an average of $6.30$10.30 for 20 cigarettes compared with $2.50 for contraband cigarettes.

During the first 6 months of the study, 19% of contraband cigarette smokers tried to quit compared with 30% of the other smokers. Of those who smoked premium/discount cigarettes, 11% quit smoking for at least 30 days compared with only 4% of people who smoked contraband cigarettes.

"Using the consumer demand theory, which suggests that consumption decreases as price increases, and the strong evidence linking high tobacco prices to reduced consumption at the population level, the correlation between the low price of contraband tobacco and poorer smoking cessation is logical," state the authors.

However, the availability of low-cost contraband cigarettes did not prevent people from making a quit attempt, a finding that supports previous studies that indicate that quit attempts and smoking cessation are affected by different factors.

"Given that smoking contraband cigarettes has a negative influence on cessation outcomes, tobacco control policies that reduce or eliminate access to contraband tobacco may have a substantial impact on population-level quitting behaviour," write the authors. "To optimize the public health benefits of current and future tobacco control initiatives, innovative solutions that address the accessibility of contraband tobacco are required."

The authors point out that enforcement alone will not solve the problem but that First Nations communities, which are often the entry point for contraband tobacco, should be engaged in helping address this issue.

###

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/cmaj-ctu022713.php

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Food science expert: Genetically modified crops are overregulated

Public release date: 17-Feb-2013
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Contact: Chelsey B. Coombs
diya@illinois.edu
217-333-5802
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. It has been almost 20 years since the first genetically modified foods showed up in produce aisles throughout the United States and the rest of the world, but controversy continues to surround the products and their regulation.

Bruce Chassy, a professor emeritus of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, believes that after thousands of research studies and worldwide planting, "genetically modified foods pose no special risks to consumers or the environment" and are overregulated.

Chassy will elaborate on this conclusion at the 2013 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston on Feb. 17. During his talk, "Regulating the Safety of Foods and Feeds Derived From Genetically Modified Crops," Chassy will share his view that the overregulation of GM crops actually hurts the environment, reduces global health and burdens the consumer.

Farmers have witnessed the advantages of GM crops firsthand through increases in their yields and profit, and decreases in their labor, energy consumption, pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions, Chassy said.

Despite these benefits, various regulatory agencies require newly developed GM crops to be put to the test with rigorous safety evaluations that include molecular characterization, toxicological evaluation, allergenicity assessments, compositional analysis and feeding studies. This extensive testing takes five to 10 years and costs tens of millions of dollars, and Chassy argues that this process "wastes resources and diverts attention from real food safety issues."

"With more than half of the world's population now living in countries that have adopted GM crops, it might be appropriate to reduce the regulatory scrutiny of GM crops to a level that is commensurate with science-based risk assessment," Chassy said.

During his talk, Chassy will chronicle the scientific tests used in pre-market safety assessments of GM foods and elaborate on the evidence from thousands of research studies and expansive GM plantings that he says show these crops do not present risks to consumers or the environment. The overregulation of GM foods is a response not to scientific evidence, Chassy said, but to a global campaign that disseminates misinformation and fear about these food sources.

###

Chassy's presentation is to begin at 1:30 p.m. in Room 201 of the Hynes Convention Center.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 17-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Chelsey B. Coombs
diya@illinois.edu
217-333-5802
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. It has been almost 20 years since the first genetically modified foods showed up in produce aisles throughout the United States and the rest of the world, but controversy continues to surround the products and their regulation.

Bruce Chassy, a professor emeritus of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, believes that after thousands of research studies and worldwide planting, "genetically modified foods pose no special risks to consumers or the environment" and are overregulated.

Chassy will elaborate on this conclusion at the 2013 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston on Feb. 17. During his talk, "Regulating the Safety of Foods and Feeds Derived From Genetically Modified Crops," Chassy will share his view that the overregulation of GM crops actually hurts the environment, reduces global health and burdens the consumer.

Farmers have witnessed the advantages of GM crops firsthand through increases in their yields and profit, and decreases in their labor, energy consumption, pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions, Chassy said.

Despite these benefits, various regulatory agencies require newly developed GM crops to be put to the test with rigorous safety evaluations that include molecular characterization, toxicological evaluation, allergenicity assessments, compositional analysis and feeding studies. This extensive testing takes five to 10 years and costs tens of millions of dollars, and Chassy argues that this process "wastes resources and diverts attention from real food safety issues."

"With more than half of the world's population now living in countries that have adopted GM crops, it might be appropriate to reduce the regulatory scrutiny of GM crops to a level that is commensurate with science-based risk assessment," Chassy said.

During his talk, Chassy will chronicle the scientific tests used in pre-market safety assessments of GM foods and elaborate on the evidence from thousands of research studies and expansive GM plantings that he says show these crops do not present risks to consumers or the environment. The overregulation of GM foods is a response not to scientific evidence, Chassy said, but to a global campaign that disseminates misinformation and fear about these food sources.

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Chassy's presentation is to begin at 1:30 p.m. in Room 201 of the Hynes Convention Center.

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/uoia-fse021113.php

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