Debunked: Kaiser Permanente Warns Against Consuming Genetically Modified Foods

Mick West

Administrator
Staff member
Has Kaiser Permanente warned against consuming GMOs? Well, not exactly.

The claim is based on this article:


The problem with then claiming that this is a warning from Kaiser is that this warning appears nowhere else. A search of KP.ORG for GMO or "genetically modified" reveals no results at all like this, not even raising any real concerns about GMOs, which mainstream science generally claims to be perfectly safe. Kaiser is very much a mainstream institution, and I doubt they would publish a piece like this as an official position. What we seem to have here is an opinion piece that somehow made its way into one local version of their newsletter.

So where did it come from? Well, the original seems to be this July 2012 blog post by Carole Bartolotto, and the Kaiser Piece is a shortened version of this.

http://healthyeatingrocks.com/2012/07/06/what-you-need-to-know-about-gmos/ (also at: http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm?articleid=4700828)

What do soda, fast food French fries, margarine, salad dressing, and corn flakes all have in common? They all contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms) also know as genetically modified or engineered foods. Read on for answers to the most commonly asked questions about GMOs.

What are GMOs?

Genetically modified organisms are plants or animals created through the process of genetic engineering. GMOs have a piece of DNA from a totally different species, such as bacteria or viruses, spliced into their DNA. Genetically engineered soybeans, for example, have DNA from bacteria and viruses forced into their DNA to help them withstand the onslaught of weed killers such as Roundup. Genetically engineered corn has DNA added so that it has a pesticide built right into it. This process creates a whole new unstable species of plant that would have never occurred in nature. None of the current GMO crops offer increased yield, drought tolerance, or enhanced nutrition.
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Who is Carole Bartolotto?

Carole Bartolotto, MA, RD, is a registered dietitian with a master's degree in exercise physiology. Carole has worked in the field of diet and health for over 20 years. She stays on top of the latest research and is able to translate it into actionable steps that can transform your health.
Carole writes and speaks on diet and health related topics including weight management, trendy foods, heart disease, popular diets, healthy eating, calories, high blood pressure, salt, low carb diets, plant based diets, sugary drink alternatives and more. She also consults with individuals and companies on diet and health related issues.
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She also writes diet related articles for Kaiser, like "Eat less salt", on the same site that she write for we find another statement "from" Kaiser on GMOs
What does GMO mean?
GMO stands for "genetically modified organism," which is a plant or animal whose DNA has been changed in a lab. Scientists can take genes from one type of organism and put them in another. Many people believe that GMOs make food healthier or last longer. Many of the foods in our food supply contain GMOs.
But some people worry that not enough testing has been done to know whether GMOs are harmful. In most countries, foods that are labeled "organic" are not supposed to contain any GMOs.
You may see food labels that say "no GMO," "non-GMO," or "GMO free." This is a claim by the maker that the product does not contain any GMOs. There is some debate, though, about how accurate such labels are. Organic foods may come in contact with GMOs even though the farmer or grower follows the rules for organic farming.
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So what we've got here is an opinion piece from a dietician who is personally strongly anti-GMO. It's not Kaiser warning people against GMOs, in fact it directly contradicts other current Kaiser articles.
 
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Thanks! Here's a excerpt from that with what Kaiser said, which pretty much is what I said.


Because the author is not credited and the article itself is not available on Kaiser Permanente’s web site, Salem Weekly queried David Northfield, Media Relations Manager of Kaiser Permanente’s Communications & Organizational Research in Portland, to learn more.
Among other questions, we asked if the text of the article, reflected Kaiser Permanente’s official position on genetically modified organisms in food.
Northfield responded on November 25. He said, “The article appearing in this fall’s issue of Partners in Health, Kaiser Permanente’s newsletter for members, was written by one of our nutritionists, and presents her views and insights on the subject. As a mission-based non-profit healthcare organization, we believe it is important to share information with our members on a wide range of topics related to health care and health, but we do not take an organizational position on every issue.”
Northfield went on to say, “Kaiser Permanente believes the ongoing research and debate on bioengineered foods, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is important. We also recognize there are important conversations about related initiatives and propositions. While we believe these are important scientific and political debates, we do not have policy positions on these subjects.”
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I contacted Carole Bartolotto to ask her how the article came about, but got no reply.
 
Just a small point, corporations and their lawyers and editors very seldom allow one person's "opinion" to be published under their bannerhead. I suggest there was a great deal of debate and review before this newsletter article was published. Monsanto has probably already called them and threatened lawsuits, which KP probably has anticipated.

Janet
 
I just came across this. Is there another thread where this is discussed? I don't see evidence of the claim. Also, I feel like the title of this article/topic is slightly inaccurate. Cheers and happy new years to all.
 
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