Journal retraction of Séralini GMO study is invalid and an attack on scientific integrity
- Reason given for retraction - "inconclusiveness" - is unprecedented and violates norms of scientific publishing
- It is unjustifiable to retract an entire paper because it contains some "inconclusive" findings
- Conclusive findings are rare in science
- Attack on scientific integrity could put public health at risk
- Study must be reinstated
We, the undersigned international scientists and experts, condemn the retraction1 by Dr A. Wallace Hayes, the editor-in-chief of the scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology (FCT), of the pioneering study of Séralini et al. (2012) on a genetically modified (GM) maize and its associated pesticide, Roundup.
Dr Hayes, FCT, and the journal’s publisher Elsevier must reinstate the Séralini study and provide a full public apology to Professor Séralini and his team.
The study’s findings
Séralini and colleagues’ chronic toxicity rat feeding study is the first and only long-term investigation of the effects of this particular type of GM maize (called NK603) and low levels of the herbicide Roundup, which the maize is engineered to tolerate during cultivation. The study found severe organ damage, particularly to the liver, kidneys and pituitary gland, in rats fed the GM maize and/or low levels of Roundup in their diet. Additional unexpected observations were higher rates of large palpable tumours and mortality in most treatment groups.2
Retraction decision reached in non-transparent process
The decision to retract the paper was reached through a nontransparent, second review process involving a panel of unnamed persons3 of unknown professional competence and with undisclosed potential conflicts of interest. The decision was announced over a year after the paper had passed through the original peer review process and was published.
Retraction violates norms of scientific publishing
According to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), of which FCT is a member,4 retraction of a paper is reserved for cases of "unreliable" findings due to misconduct or honest error, redundant publication or plagiarism, and unethical research.5
However, none of these criteria apply to the Séralini paper, as Dr Hayes conceded in a letter to Professor Séralini. Dr Hayes stated that an examination of Professor Séralini’s raw data had revealed "no evidence of fraud or intentional misrepresentation" and results presented were "not incorrect".
Dr Hayes added that the retraction was solely based on the “inconclusive” nature of the tumours and mortality outcomes, based on the relatively low number of animals and the strain of rat used.6 Dr Hayes later wrote in a statement: “No definitive conclusions could be drawn from the inconclusive data”.7
However, lack of definitive conclusions is not valid grounds for retraction. Retraction on these grounds appears to be unprecedented in the history of scientific publishing.
Retracting a whole paper on grounds of inconclusiveness of some of its findings is unjustified
According to widely accepted norms, Séralini’s study did not use sufficient numbers of animals for a carcinogenicity study.8 Therefore the questions raised by the observations of tumours and mortality can only be resolved by replicating and extending the study with larger numbers of animals, as suggested by Séralini’s team in their "Answers to critics", also published in FCT.9
However, contrary to how it is presented by critics, Séralini’s study is not a flawed carcinogenicity study. It was designed as a chronic toxicity investigation, as the authors state in the title and introduction to their paper. The study generated statistically significant findings of organ damage and biochemical disturbances in treatment groups. These toxicity findings form the most important aspect of the study and are solidly based. They have important implications for public health.
Dr Hayes conceded in his statement that "the number of animals used may have been sufficient to reach conclusions regarding oral toxicity".10 Yet he has retracted the entire paper on the basis of the alleged inconclusive nature of some of its findings, namely the tumour and mortality rates. He has not offered any explanation of why the toxicity findings, as well as the tumours and mortality observations, should be erased from the scientific record. We contend that they must remain in the scientific literature to inform further studies.
FCT editor defends decision by misrepresenting the paper
On 10 December 2013 Dr Hayes defended his decision to retract the study in a published statement.11 In this statement, Dr Hayes appeared to contradict his previous statement in his letter to Prof Séralini that the results were "not incorrect".12 He now maintained that the retraction was in line with the COPE guidelines, since the Séralini paper was an example of unreliable findings due to "honest error". Dr Hayes wrote:
"The data are inconclusive, therefore the claim (ie, conclusion) that Roundup Ready maize NK603 and/or the Roundup herbicide have a link to cancer is unreliable… it is the entire paper, with the claim that there is a definitive link between GMO and cancer that is being retracted."13
However, this is a misrepresentation of Séralini’s paper. The authors do not claim that the GM maize NK603 and/or Roundup herbicide have a "definitive link" to "cancer". Moreover, the authors specify in their introduction that the study is not a carcinogenicity study.
Instead, the authors simply observe and record the rates and timing of tumours (which are not, by definition, synonymous with "cancer") in the various groups of animals. This is in line with the international norm of the OECD chronic toxicity guideline 452, which requires that in a chronic toxicity study, all "lesions" (which would include tumours) are noted.14
Dr Hayes does not specifically identify any unjustified or "definitive" claims in the paper. If he is able to identify any such claims, then, under COPE guidelines, this would justify requesting the authors to publish a correction or clarification.15 It would not justify retraction of the paper.
Conclusive findings are rare in science
The notion that a pioneering study must produce conclusive results is incompatible with the way in which scientific progress occurs. Retrospectively applying a previously unknown standard of mandatory conclusiveness to all scientific papers would decimate the existing scientific literature, discourage innovative research, and impede understanding of complex issues.
In his letter to Prof Séralini, Dr Hayes states that the results of the study, because of their inconclusive nature, "do not reach the threshold of publication for Food and Chemical Toxicology". It is now incumbent on Dr Hayes to prove that all other studies published in FCT reach a higher standard of conclusiveness, or to retract them, also. Alternatively, Dr Hayes must reinstate the Séralini paper and apologise for its retraction.
Retraction compromises scientific integrity and could put public health at risk
Scientific uncertainties are only clarified by further research. Removing Séralini’s paper from the scientific record in this apparently unprecedented manner is antithetical to scientific progress. It also sends an unmistakable message to other researchers exploring the potential risks of GM crops and their associated pesticides: to the effect that their scientific research may not be funded or published, that their professional and personal reputations could be attacked, and that their careers could be ruined. Moreover, erasing the evidence provided by the Séralini study could potentially put at risk the health of people, livestock, and the environment.
The retraction of the Séralini paper sets a dangerous precedent. Retrospectively applying previously unstated criteria to this paper alone, and doing so more than a year after publication, appears to be an act of scientific censorship. It runs counter to the interests of science, scientists, and the public at large.
Dr Hayes, FCT, and Elsevier must reinstate the Séralini study and provide a full public apology to Professor Séralini and his team.
Signed by: (182)
Michael Antoniou, PhD
Head, Gene Expression and Therapy Group, King’s College London School of Medicine, UK
John Balatinecz, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, Canada
Susan Bardocz, DSc
Retired Professor of Human Nutrition, formerly at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland
Marie-Pierre Baudin-Maurin
Assistant Professor, Private Law Research Center, Law Department, University of Caen, France
Philip L. Bereano, JD
Professor Emeritus, University of Washington; Roster of Experts, Cartagena Biosafety Protocol
Thomas Bøhn, Dr Scient
Senior Scientist, GenØk – Centre for Biosafety; Professor of Gene Ecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway; former member of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety
Marcello Buiatti, PhD
Professor of Genetics, University of Florence, Italy
E. Ann Clark, PhD
Professor of Plant Agriculture (retired), University of Guelph, Canada
Joe Cummins, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Genetics, University of Western Ontario, Canada
Michael Dittmar, PhD
ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Physics Department, Zurich, Switzerland
Paul Dorfman, PhD
Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Energy Institute, University College London (UCL), UK; Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) Nuclear Policy Research Fellow; Member, European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER); Advisor to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Nuclear Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP); Member, European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) Transparency and Risk Working Groups
David Gee
Retired Senior Adviser, Science, Policy, Emerging Issues, European Environment Agency, Copenhagen; Fellow of Collegium Ramazzini; founding member of European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER); editor and co-author of Late Lessons from Early Warnings vols 1& 2 (EEA, 2001 & 2013)
Xiulin Gu, PhD
Specialist in Agricultural and Resource Economics; Professor, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, Kunming, China
John Fagan, PhD
Director, Earth Open Source, London, UK
Michael Hansen, PhD
Senior Scientist, Consumers Union, Yonkers, NY, USA
Jack Heinemann, PhD
Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Angelika Hilbeck, PhD
Senior Scientist, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Institute of Integrative Biology IBZ, Zurich, Switzerland; Chair, European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER)
Stuart B. Hill, DPhil
Emeritus Professor, Foundation Chair of Social Ecology, School of Education, University of Western Sydney, Australia
Brendan Hoare, MAppSci
Founder and Director, Journal of Organic Systems; Chair, Organics Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Frieder Hofmann, Dipl Biol
Ökologiebüro, TIEM Integrated Environmental Monitoring GbR; Member and vice-chair of the VDI advisory board on Biodiversity, GMO Monitoring and Risk Management; Convenor of CEN TC 264 WG 29 on GMO-Monitoring, Bremen, Germany
C. Vyvyan Howard, MB, ChB, PhD, FRCPath
Medically qualified toxicopathologist; Professor of Bioimaging, Nano Systems Biology, Centre for Molecular Bioscience, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
Philip H. Howard, PhD
Associate Professor of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, USA
Carlo Leifert, PhD
Research Development Professor in Ecological Agriculture, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, UK
Les Levidow, PhD
Senior Research Fellow, Development Policy and Practice, Open University, UK
Hartmut Meyer, PhD
Founding member of the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER)
Erik Millstone, PhD
Professor of Science Policy, SPRU – Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex, UK
Eva Novotny, PhD
University of Cambridge (retired); member, Scientists for Global Responsibility, UK
Devon G. Peña, PhD
University of Washington, Acequia Institute, USA
Arpad Pusztai, PhD
Biochemist, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, formerly at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland
Leda Raptis, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
David R. Schubert, PhD
Professor and Laboratory Head, Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, CA, USA
Stephanie Seneff, PhD
Senior research scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA
Margarida Silva, PhD
Professor, Environmental Studies, Portuguese Catholic University, Porto, Portugal
Av Singh, PhD, PAg
Organic and Rural Infrastructure specialist; Chair in Small Farm Sustainability, Just Us! Centre for Small Farms, Perennia, Nova Scotia, Canada
Ricarda A. Steinbrecher, PhD
Biologist and molecular geneticist; co-director, EcoNexus, Oxford, UK
Peter Stonehouse, PhD
Professor of Agricultural Economics and Business (retired), University of Guelph, Canada
Terje Traavik, Dr Philos, DVM
Special Consultant, GenØk-Centre for Biosafety, Norway; Professor Emeritus of Gene Ecology and Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Norway
Christian Vélot, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Molecular Genetics, University Paris Sud, France; Member of the Scientific Council of CRIIGEN
Thierry Vrain, PhD
Research Scientist, Agriculture Canada, Head of Biotechnology at the Summerland Research Centre (retired)
Allison Wilson, PhD
Science Director, The Bioscience Resource Project, Ithaca, NY, USA
Brian Wynne, PhD
Professor of Science Studies at Centre for the Study of Environmental Change, Lancaster University, UK, and at the ESRC Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (CESAGen); Visiting Professor, Oslo University, Norway
Mae-Wan Ho, PhD Roster of Experts, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Prigogine Medalist 2014. Director Institute of Science in Society, UK
Vilma Calderon, Clinical Dietician Clinical Dietitian that has a serious concern about GMO.
Caroline Amiel, PhD University of Caen, France
Gustavo A. García López, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology, Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Puerto Rico
Bertal H. Aktas, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, US
Frank Rowson, B.Vet.Med. Physicians and Scientists for Global Responsibility (PSGR), New Zealand
Roman Andrzej Sniady, PhD Poland
Rosemary Anne Mason, MB ChB FRCA Consultant Anaesthetist (Rtd), Wales
José Ramón Olarieta, PhD Lecturer Soil Science, Universitat de Lleida, Spain
J. Gordon Wade, PhD Applied Mathematics Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH, USA
Yves Dupont, Pr. Emérite Anthropologie des risques Université de Caen, France
Jean-Michel Panoff, PhD Professor, Institute of Biology, University of Caen Basse-Normandie, France
Zrioual Saloua, PhD Immunologist, France
Robaire Beckwith, BSc, PhD UK
Sheldon Krimsky, PhD Lenore Stern Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tufts University Adjunct Professor, Department of Public Health & Community Medicine, Tufts University Medical School Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, US
Susie O'Kelly, BSC Hons Psychology and nutrition, UK
Doug Gurian-Sherman, PhD, Plant Pathology, US
Sona Dubna, Dr, PhD, Honeybee diseases researcher, Czech Republic
Isabelle Chivilo, Doctor of Médecine, France
Cory Shafer, Psychotherapist, psychologist, MS PC#005347, US
Mustapha M Mustapha, MBBS, University of Pittsburgh, US
Vandana Verma, PhD, University of Michigan, Cardiovascular Pharmacology, PhD University of Cambridge, US
Malcolm Hooper, Professor Emeritus, PhD, B Pharm, MRIC, CChem Royal Society of Chemistry, Society for Medicines Research, British Pharmacological Society, UK
Vivienne Laval, PhD, Molecular Genetics, UK
Bonnie Camo, MD (Rtd), Italy
Steve Laval, DPhil Newcastle University, Molecular Genetics, UK
Eduardo C Schroder, PhD University of Puerto Rico, College of Agricultural Sci., Agroecology, Puerto Rico
Peter C. Charles, PhD Senior Staff Scientist at Innatrix, Inc/Animal models of human disease, bioinformatics, gene expression, molecular genetics, virology, immunology, neuropathology, anatomy and physiology/ ASM, AAAS, AHA, AHS, IHS, USA
Emma Haley, MSc Game Design DiGRA, Staffordshire University, UK
Roger C. Birosel, PhD no2gmophilippines, Chemical Society, Local Initiatives in Science & Technology, Filipino Inventors Society, Philippine Council for Sustainable Development, Philippines
Anthony C. Tweedale, MS, env'l studies R.I.S.K. Consultancy, Belgium
Louis Nadeau, PhD, Neurobiology, Canada
Piebiep Goufo, PhD Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Researcher, Portugal
Daniela Rambaldini, MSc, CNP, MH Institute of Traditional Medicine, Toronto, Ontario (current affiliation), Canada
Florian Brunier-Coulin, PhD Institut national de Recherche en Science et Technologies pour l'Environnement et l'Agriculture (IRSTEA), (French research institute in science and technologies for environment and agriculture), France
Pierre Alain Danis, PhD Institut national de Recherche en Science et Technologies pour l'Environnement et l'Agriculture (IRSTEA), (French research institute in science and technologies for environment and agriculture), France
Alban Sagouis, MSc Institut national de Recherche en Science et Technologies pour l'Environnement et l'Agriculture (IRSTEA), (French research institute in science and technologies for environment and agriculture), France
Francois Warlop, Agricultural Engineer, France
Vincent Detours, PhD IRIBHM - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Lynne LoPresto, MS, RD Assistant Professor Dominican University of CA, Registered Dietitian - Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, US
Paul Easton, PhD NYU School of Medicine, US
Ena Valikov, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Private practice clinician, US
Margaret Mellon, PhD, Molecular Biology, Science Policy Consultant
Paulo Yoshio Kageyama, PhD, Professor University of São Paulo, Ex Member of the National Technical Cmmission of Biosafety (2007-2012); Ex Director of Biodiversity Conservation of Ministry of Envrironment of Brazilian Government, Brazil
Yvan Rioux, Independent research biologist, Canada
Nadia El-Hage Scialabba, Ecologist Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Senior Officer (Environment and Sutainable Deelopment), Italy
Rosa Binimelis, PhD GenØk - Centre for Biosafety, Norway
Jorg Welcker, PhD Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway
Eva Sirinathsinghji, PhD Neurogenetics Researcher/Writer at Institute of Science in Society, PhD involved molecular biology, genetic engineering techniques to generate cell models of human disease, UK
Irina Ermakova, Professor Academy of geopolitical problems, Russia
Katarzyna Lisowska, PhD molecular biologist, Associate Professor in Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice; member of the Commision on Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of the Environment, Poland
Brigitta Kurenbach, PhD Researcher, Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Omar Arellano-Aguilar, PhD Unión de Científicos Comprometidos con la Sociedad A.C., Profesor de la Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM.
Richard Doherty, MD (Rtd.) Faculty Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Genetics, Radiation Biology & Biophysics at the Universtiy of Rochester School of Medicine, US
Miguel Lovera, PhD Universidad Católica de Asunción - CEIDRA, Paraguay
Romeo F. Quijano, MD Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippines
Meriel Watts, PhD Physicians and Scientists for Global Responsibility, New Zealand
Keerthi Krutha, B.Tech Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society, Coimbatore, India
Jozef Adamczyk, Professor of Agronomy The head of Corn Breeding Dept. in HR Smolice Ltd, Poland
Patrick Dabert, Research Director Environmental Management and Biological Treatment of Waste Research Unit (GERE), National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), France
Marie-Elise Hanne, Physician - biologist Independent WHO, France
Chalani Rubesinghe, MSc Environmental Officer of Center for Environmental Justice, Technical Officer for the Asian lead paint elimination project conduct in association with IPEN and EU, Sri Lanka
Debal Deb, PhD Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Barrackpore, India
Manuel Ruiz Perez, PhD Profesor Titular, Dpto. Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Daniel Ferreira Holderbaum, MSc PhD Student in Plant Genetic Resources, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
John Stack, MSc in Applied Sciences (Environmental Science), Expertise is in the area of Integrated Constructed Wetlands and photo remediation, Ireland
Shideh Pouria, MBBS, BSc, MRCP (UK), PHD Vice President British Society for Ecological Medicine, Visiting Research Fellow King's College London, UK
Pablo Laguna, PhD El Colegio de Michoacán, México
Gerardo Otero, PhD in Sociology Professor of Sociology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
Alexander Wetten, MSc (Nutrition & Dietetics) Public Health Nutritionist, Department of Health NT, Australia
Jan Krzymanski, PhD, DSc (dr habil.) Professor Emeritus of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute -biochemistry, genetics, oilseed plant breeding, Honorary member of GCIRC, KFGiHR of PAN (Polish Academy of Science), KZPRiRB and PSPO - Redactor of scientific annals "Rosliny Oleiste - Oilseed Crops", Poland
Jacek J. Nowak, PhD Contract Professor, Bogdan Jański Academy (statistics, food safety and sustainable development), Poland
Birgit Winkel, Master in Biology Risk assessor, Germany
Mohamed Habib, PhD Full Professor (Entomology, Biological Control & Agro-Ecology), University of Campinas, Brazil
Patricia Sosa, PhD Candidate Unversidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Chiara Pardini, Laurea in Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie Dipende Ministero Politiche agricole, Italy
Marc Mathieu, PhD Inserm / Cellular and molecular biology, France
Donald R. Davis, PhD, UCLA 1966 (chemistry) Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University at Pullman Retired from Biochemical Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, US
Peter Romilly, PhD Ecmetrika Consultancy & Research, Environmental Economics, member of Scientists for Global Responsibility, United Kingdom
Mateo Mier, PhD Rural Development/ IDS, University of Sussex/ IUCN, Mexico
Terán Giménez Cacho, PhD Rural Development/ IDS, University of Sussex/ IUCN, Mexico
Marc Lenoir, PhD INSERM, France
Junho Lee, PhD University of Central Florida (Mathematics), US
Dae-Yeon Suh, PhD University of Regina, Canada
Minjung Cho, PhD MFDS / Pharmacy, Republic of Korea
Resham Babu Amgai, MSc Scientist at Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Nepal
Hank Keeton, PhD CannaSafe Analitics, LLC, US
Tomás Enrique León Sicard, PhD, MSc, Agrólogo Profesor Titular Instituto de estudios Ambientales - Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Murray Thompson, BAppSci Environmental Health; Honors I Social Ecology University of Western Sydney, Australia
Robert Mann, PhD Senior lecturer in Biochemistry & in Environmental Studies (rtd), University of Auckland, New Zealand
Channa Jayasumana, MBBS Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka
Horst Frohlich, PhD, senior lecturer (retired) Physical Chemistry, University Paris XI, France
Sisira Siribaddana, MBBS. MD FCCP FRCP Edin Professor of Medicine & Chair, Department of Medicine Dean Faculty of Medicine & Allied Sciences Rajarata University of Sri Lanka
Siniša Srečec, PhD Križevci College of Agriculture. College Proefessor. Research methodology and biometrics in biotechnology and food technology, Croatia
Henk A.Tennekes, PhD Consultant Toxicologist, Member of EUROTOX, Dutch, Swiss and British Societies of Toxicology, Society of Toxicologic Pathology, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)/Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), Netherlands
Ulrich E Loening, D.Phil retired molecular biologist and former Director of the Centre for Human Ecology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Mark Polle, PhD Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Ontario, Canada
John Joseph Moore, D.Sc. (NUI) Professor of Botany, University College, Dublin (retired), Professor at Dept. of Biology, UNZA (University of Zambia), Lusaka Research Area: Plant Ecology, Zambia
P.C. Kesavan, PhD Former Professor of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Currently Distinguished Fellow in M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Taramani, Chennai, India
Mala Damayanthi Amarasinghe, PhD, MPlil, BSc Professor in Botany, department of Botany, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Catherine Greenall, M.Phil, MRSC, C.Chem, C.Sci, MCIWEM, CWEM Royal Society of Chemistry, Chartered Institute of Water & Environmental Management, UK
Vandana Shiva, PhD, Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, New Delhi, India
Marcus Taylor, PhD, Queen's University, Canada
Sujata Lakhani, PhD, Director of NGO working with environmental issues (WAPRED), India
Giuseppe Messi, agronomist, Italy
Sue Edwards, BSc Hons, MSc Plant Taxonomy, Ethiopia; Award Winner of the 12th Gothenburg Award for Sustainable Development, 2011; Previous member of European Association of Science Editors and Secretary of the African Association of Science Editors
Mira Shiva, MBBS, MD Medicine, Initiative for Health & Equity in Society, India
Elizabeth Bravo, PhD, RALLT / Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Ecuador
Pierre Sartor, Doctor of Sciences; Member, Endocrine Society; Retired biologist, Nat Center of Scientific Research - CNRS, France
Klaus Oberauer, PhD, University of Zurich / Cognitive Psychology, Switzerland
Dereje Gebremichael Hussein, MSc, Environmental Science, Norway
Nick Scott-Samuel, PhD, Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, UK
Deborah Apthorp, PhD, Australian National University - NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow, Canberra, Australia
Timothy David Dixon, PhD (Psychology), Bath Spa University, Bristol, UK
Marco Bertamini, PhD, University of Liverpool, UK
Alexis Makin, PhD, University of Liverpool, UK
Rebecca Lawson, PhD, University of Liverpool, UK
Lee de-Wit, BSc, MA, PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Leuven, Belgium
Joseph Austen, PhD, Psychology, University of Durham, UK
Alexander Baranoff, PhD, N. K. Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Natalia Belova, PhD, Head of NGO "Future for everyone", Moscow, Russia
Alexander Varshavsky, DSc, Professor, Head of Laboratory, Central Economics and Mathematics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Victor Dragavtsev, professor of genetics, St Petersburg, Russia; academician of Russian Academy of Sciences; member of Russian Academy of Natural Sciences; member of the Royal Linnean Society, London; member of Agrarian Academies of Czech Republic and Slovakia and Mongolian Academy of Natural Sciences
Alexey V. Yablokov, PhD, Dr Biol, Professor, N. K. Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Bob Abell, PhD, science education; Member/originator "Scientists Concerned and Informed on the Environment Speak Out", Kanata, Ont., Canada
Natalie Uomini, PhD, University of Liverpool, UK
Rémi Sharrock, Associate Professor, Telecom ParisTech / Institut Mines-Telecom, Paris, France
Sylvie Garin, medical information technician, Villeurbanne, France
André Henri, MSc, DSc, Retired, Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale (Tervuren, Belgium)/Universtité Catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)/ Soil zoology, Bossonnens, Switzerland
Pavel Rekunov, PhD, ergonomics and human behaviour, Moscow, Russia
Sarah Ann Wheeler, PhD, economics; Senior Research Fellow, University of South Australia, Australia
Suzana Podreka, BAppSci(Hons), environmental science, Canberra, Australia
Andrew Goldsworthy, PhD, Lecturer in Biology (ret'd), Imperial College London, UK
Valentin Zhelyaskov, PhD, former Professor in Physical Chemistry of Bio-polymers; published papers in the Biophysics field; worked for a Biomedical Research equipment company; Sarasota, USA
Kris Turlejski, VMD, PhD, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, head of laboratory. Neurobiology, brain development, behaviour. Member of EBBS and FENS; Warsaw, Poland
Diane Muratore Testa, PhD, Biomedical Engineering & Mathematics, Western New England University, Springfield, MA; Wilbraham, USA
Arie Taeke Veltman, MSc, retired electrical engineer, Groningen, Netherlands
Hanno Hammer, PhD, MSc, Dipl, MCL Leoben, Austria
Matt Hammett, DC, Merrillville, USA
Dominique Filippi, PhD, Sextant Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand
Tomas Moravec, PhD, Plant virologist, molecular biologist, Institute of Experimental Botany, Prague, Czech Republic
References:
1. Elsevier (2013). Elsevier announces article retraction from Journal Food and Chemical Toxicology. 28 November. http://www.elsevier.com/...VfY74Y24.dpuf
2. Séralini GE et al (2012). Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize. Food and Chemical Toxicology 50(11): 4221-4231. The paper is available here: http://gmoseralini.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GES-final-study-19.9.121.pdf
3. Hayes AW (2013). Letter to Professor GE Séralini. 19 Nov. Available at: http://www.gmwatch.org/files/Letter_AWHayes_GES.pdf
4. COPE (2013). Members: Food and Chemical Toxicology. http://publicationethics.org/members/food-and-chemical-toxicology
5. COPE (2009). Retraction guidelines. http://publicationethics.org/files/retraction guidelines.pdf
6. Hayes AW (2013). Letter to Professor GE Séralini. 19 Nov. Available at: http://www.gmwatch.org/files/Letter_AWHayes_GES.pdf
7. Hayes AW (2013). Food and Chemical Toxicology editor-in-chief, A. Wallace Hayes, publishes response to Letters to the Editors. 10 Dec. http://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/rese...
8. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2009). OECD guideline no. 451 for the testing of chemicals: Carcinogenicity studies: Adopted 7 September 2009.
9. Séralini GE et al. (2013). Answers to critics: Why there is a long term toxicity due to NK603 Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize and to a Roundup herbicide. Food and Chemical Toxicology 53: 461-468.
10. Hayes AW (2013). Food and Chemical Toxicology editor-in-chief, A. Wallace Hayes, publishes response to Letters to the Editors. 10 Dec. http://www.elsevier.com/...tTW2LCGq.dpuf
11. Hayes AW (2013). Ibid.
12. Hayes AW (2013). Letter to Professor GE Séralini. 19 Nov. Available at: http://www.gmwatch.org/files/Letter_AWHayes_GES.pdf
13. Hayes AW (2013). Food and Chemical Toxicology Editor-in-Chief, A. Wallace Hayes, Publishes Response to Letters to the Editors. 10 Dec. http://www.elsevier.com/...tTW2LCGq.dpuf
14. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2009). OECD guideline no. 452 for the testing of chemicals: Chronic toxicity studies: Adopted 7 September 2009. http://bit.ly/LxJT1Z
15. COPE (2009). Retraction guidelines. http://publicationethics.org/files/retraction guidelines.pdf
