- A subcommittee is formed by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to evaluate toxicology data for genetically modified brinjal
- The data generated by two applicants is being questioned by the biologist and Padma Bhushan Dr.Pushpa on the guidelines of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on transgenic crops
- Further they have asked for a raw data on toxicity studies on rats using transgenic brinjal which was carried out by Dr. Sesikeran, former Director of National Institute of Nutrition at Hyderabad and found significant changes and several important parameters
- The values were within the normal range of variation and the differences were not significant and there no need to repeat the experiment
- 20 animals were used (10 male, 10 female) in both experimental and the control groups which is the minimum number for such tests Dr. Sesikeran will explain why he used minimum number
- As per the DBT guidelines in regard to interpretation of safety studies told that the “The design and analysis of the study should be kept as simple as possible, avoiding unnecessarily complex, sophisticated statistical techniques”
- The simple the design statistic is straight results and non-statistical facts must be applied in study design and interpretation
- Scientifically this did not make sense and the company who endorsed this did not make sense and didn’t understand what they meant and sought a clarification in the next GEAC meet
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/pushpa-bhargava-questions-dbt-guidelines-on-transgenic-crops/article6302273.ece