Letter of support and recognition of the work of Doctor Medardo Ávila Vazquez and his team

April 24, 2015

As academics, institution officials, scientific authorities and social leaders from twelve countries who are engaged in research work into the question of food security and biotechnologies, we meet at various different international conferences and networks, such as the international food security Forum coordinated by Yunnan University in China.

We hereby wish to express our support for, and recognition of the scientific work and endeavours of Dr. Medardo Ávila Vazquez and his team, currently called into question by the National University of Córdoba in Argentina for carrying out a study on environmental health among the population of Monte Maíz (a small town in the province of Córdoba, Argentina). This study was requested by the mayor of the town and was accompanied by other academic groups from the National University of Córdoba and the National University of La Plata.

In addition to the positive consequences of the study, which led the council of Monte Maíz to implement remedial and prevention measures, we assert that this kind of environmental study in the field of food security and environmental health is of both great public interest and international significance. We express our concern at the rejection by any academic authority of this investigation and of other studies undertaken with the collaboration of the community, which, in the face of a growing sanitary and technological risk in our industrial societies, are increasingly necessary. As academics, our work and our institutions must, more than ever, be linked to the right to inform, to investigate and to create new collective responsibilities.

Sincerely,

The undersigned:

• Adriana Monzón and François Soulard, Food sovereignty and Food Safety Commission, Civil Society Consultative Council of the Argentine Chancellery, ARGENTINA
• Don M. Huber, Professor Emeritus, Purdue University, USA
• David Schubert, PhD, Professor, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla CA, USA
• Howard Vlieger, farmer and advisor on culture nutrition, USA
• Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms across America, USA
• Hans Herren, Founder of Biovision Foundation, Zürich, SWITZERLAND
• Dr Judy Carman, Institute of Health and Environmental Research, AUSTRALIA
• Dr. Alexander Baranoff, PhD, co-founder and president of National Association for genetic safety, RUSSIA
• Elena Sharoykina, co-founder and director of National Association for genetic safety, RUSSIA
• Nadezhda Novoselova, pr-director of National Association for genetic safety, RUSSIA
• Dr. Konstantin Kramarenko, PhD, "Biologically safe" project manager, National Association for genetic safety, RUSSIA
• Claire Bleakley, GE Free NZ in Food and Environment, NEW ZEALAND
• Dr Michael Antoniou, Gene expression and Therapy Group, King’s College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, UK
• Dr Mae-Wan Ho, Institute of Science in Society, UK-CHINA
• Professor Peter Saunders, Institute of Science in Society, UK
• Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji, Institute of Science in Society, UK
• Borup Pedersen, producer, DENMARK
• Gottfried Glöckner, Master in Agriculture, GERMANY
• Dr. Anthony Samsel, Research Scientist / Consultant, USA
• Jeffrey M. Smith, Institute for Responsible Technology, USA
• Stephanie Seneff, Senior Research Scientist, MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, USA
• Roberto Ugas, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, PERU
• Bob Streit, University of Iowa, USA
• Chen I-wan, former advisor, Committee of Disaster History to China Disaster Prevention Association, CHINA
• Tungjye Wu, Secretary General, Green Formosa Front, TAIWAN
• Vandana Shiva, Director of the Globalization Forum, INDIA
• Dr. Irina Ermakova, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RUSSIA
• GU Xiulin, Yunnan University, 2014 Beijing conference on Food safety and sustainable agriculture, CHINA
• Klaus Sall, M.Sc biology, Sall&Sall Advisors, DENMARK
• Prof. Gilles-Eric Seralini, University of Caen, Institute of Biology, FRANCE
• Nicolas Defarge, PhD student, University of Caen, FRANCE
• Miguel Garcia Casàs, CRIIGEN, FRANCE
• Pr Charles Sultan, University of Montpellier, FRANCE
• Dr. Robin Mesnage, Gene Expression and Therapy Group, King’s College London School of Medicine, UK
• Marie-Madeleine ANQUETIL, FRANCE
• Christian Vélot, PhD, Molecular Geneticist, University of Paris-Sud, FRANCE
• Patrice Desclaud, Eau & Rivière de Bretagne, FRANCE
• Bénédicte Lefebvre, Citizens Sciences Foundation, FRANCE

The English and Spanish versions of this letter can be found here

Article first published 30/04/15

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