"I think the big problem trying to get up here and talk about how vaccines work, is that we don't know a damn thing about how they work. In the old days we use to solve problems without understanding them, and it was great. This is the first time we've ever had need to understand anything. I'm sorry I couldn't talk about how vaccines work 'cause I don't know." —Maurice Hilleman, MD vaccine developer, speaking to scientific meeting in 1987 about the possibility of developing an AIDS vaccine

"If antivaccinationists did not have mercury, they would have another issue... One cannot prevent them from making hay regardless of whether the sun is shining or not." —Stanley A. Plotkin, MD vaccine developer

Above: Billboard by two mothers of autistic boys

• Labs told to destroy flu virus
• Combined jab 'not as effective'
• Sinovac's Avian Flu Vaccine Development
• Genetically engineered vaccines
• Should you get the flu shot?
• Other Substances
• Human Cancer Genes Being Spliced into Animals & Plants

Labs told to destroy flu virus

The US government has told more than 3,700 laboratories in 18 countries to destroy potentially lethal influenza samples sent out in testing kits.

excerpt— The samples are of "Asian flu", which killed between one and four million people in 1957 but disappeared by 1968.

If the virus is not handled properly, "it can easily cause an influenza epidemic", Klaus Stohr of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned… Hong Kong radio announced on Wednesday that the virus had been destroyed there.

Because the virus has not been in circulation since 1968, people born after that do not have antibodies against it - and current vaccines do not guard against it. "If this virus were to infect one person, it would spread very rapidly," Dr Stohr, the WHO's influenza expert, told the BBC.

Terrorism worries
The College of American Pathologists sent out kits containing between October 2004 and February of this year. On 8 April, the US government asked the body to write to the laboratories affected - of which 61 are outside the US and Canada - telling them to destroy the samples.

WHERE THE VIRUS WENT
Europe:	Belgium, France, Germany, Italy
Americas:	Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, the US
Asia:	Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
Middle East:	Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia

Given the concerns that the virus could be used in bio-terrorism, letters were sent to the laboratories before the mistake was made public. Dr Stohr said the College of American Pathologists had not violated US regulations, which are now being revised. The virus - technically known as H2N2 - was classified as Biological Safety Level 2, meaning that it was not considered particularly dangerous.

But the US government agency responsible for classifying viruses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says it was in the process of deciding whether to change the strain's classification when it found out that it had been widely circulated. The WHO says there is no guarantee that every sample of the virus can be traced and destroyed because some of the laboratories may have sent derivatives of the sample elsewhere.

'Low risk'
But there have been no reports of anyone becoming ill from handling the virus, which the WHO called reassuring. "The risk is considered to be low... but as long as this is out it is possible laboratory technicians can become infected," Dr Stohr said. Laboratories use the kits to show they can correctly identify different strains of a virus. They normally include strains in current or recent circulation. It is hoped the laboratories will have destroyed the vials by the end of the week.

Combined jab 'not as effective'

—excerpt The meningitis C vaccine is given routinely in the UK Combining certain child vaccines makes them less effective, a study shows. An Oxford University team compared a combined meningitis C and pneumococcal jab to a single meningitis C vaccine. They found the individual jab gave significantly better immunity against meningitis in a study of 240 babies, but both vaccines were considered safe. The effectiveness of other vaccines for diseases including Hib and diphtheria were also compromised, the Journal of the American Medical Association said.

Lead researcher Jim Buttery said the findings suggested the combined vaccine, Pnc9-MenC, which is not yet licensed for use in the UK, "may not be a suitable replacement for individual vaccines". It could be that other vaccine combinations are also not as effective…

…Ann Coote, of the parents support group Jabs, said: "I believe other studies are also looking at this problem. "It could be that other vaccine combinations are also not as effective and that is concerning for parents. "There is a move towards more combinations, but this raises question about whether that is best for children." And Linda Glennie, the Meningitis Research Foundation's head of research and medical information, said she was in favour of combination jabs as long as they were effective. "The ideal would be if we could get to the point where there was a combined vaccination for all meningitis."…

Above: Dr. Mahfouz Zaki says we shouldn't worry ourselves sick over the West Nile virus -but get used to it: Increased world travel will make exotic disease a fact. Photo by Mario Ruiz, People Magazine, August 21, 2000.

Sinovac's Avian Flu Vaccine Development

Sinovac is currently advancing its Inactivated New Human Influenza (H5N1) vaccine (also referred to as Pandemic Influenza Vaccine) through the various stages of pre-clinical studies. On March 25 2004, Sinovac received a reassortant influenza strain (NIBRG-14) for developing a Pandemic Influenza Vaccine (H5N1) from the British National Biological Standard and Control (NIBSC), which is the WHO International Laboratory for Biological Standards. The WHO distributed this virus strain to major vaccine manufacturers all over the world and recommended them to use it to develop a Pandemic Influenza Vaccine, since they considered that this strain will be the epidemic strain in the next potential outbreak caused by avian flu virus H5N1.

Sinovac completed a research protocol for developing an avian flu vaccine in April 2004 after receiving the reassortant influenza strain for bird flu H5N1 virus from the World Health Organization network. According to the New Human Influenza Vaccine R & D Protocol, the vaccine is produced through the pre-clinical steps of manual cultivation, propagation, inactivation, purification, and splitting of virus strain (H5N1). This set of processes mainly includes: studies on virus strain breeding; infectious titer; antigenicity; immunogenicity; establishment and testing on primary seed lot; master seed lot; working seed lot of viral seed; passage stability study; vaccine bulk production technology study; preparation prescription method study; testing method study; animal protection study; animal-safety evaluation; final product stability study; and scaled-production method study.

Current epidemiology shows that H5N1 is highly infectious and pathogenic for birds, but not that serious for humans. However, whenever H5N1 virus combines with human flu virus and both of them recombine to become a new flu virus, then it is possible for that virus to be highly infectious and pathogenic to humans." This kind of pandemic caused by the recombination of human-animal flu virus has historically happened three times. It caused worldwide disaster each time.

Moreover, according to Mr. Yin, president of SInovac, in order to prevent "Newly developed reassortant strain of highly pathogenic New Human Influenza" caused by the genetic mixing of human and bird flu virus together, Sinovac decided to develop an inactivated vaccine with reassortant bird flu virus strain for humans by using gene reassorting techniques.

In December 2004, Sinovac signed a major co-development agreement with the Chinese Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) to accelerate the development of an avian flu vaccine for which Sinovac will own commercial rights. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) is the main government institution in China involved in the field of disease control and prevention.

In order to further discuss the vaccine development, in early January, Sinovac invited Dr. John Wood and Dr. Lisa Major from NIBSC to Beijing for a "Symposium on Flu virus and Avian Flu Virus". Officials from the State Food and Drug Administration (China FDA) and scientists from China CDC attended the symposium as well.

The ultimate aim of the vaccine is to provoke the human immune system into action, so that it can destroy the reassortant bird flu virus if infected. The drug approval process regulated by the State Drug Administration (SFDA) in China is similar to the one regulated by the FDA in the United States. The process involves pre-clinical in vitro laboratory and in vivo animal testing; IND study (Investigational New Drug); clinical Phases I, II and III; New Drug Application; and finally Marketing Approval for sale. The SFDA has stated that it is fast-tracking the drug approval process for Sinovac's potential avian flu vaccine. Sinovac is currently progressing through the pre-clinical stage - the first step of this process.

The following information is intended to provide investors with a summary of background information currently available on avian influenza.

Potential for an Influenza Pandemic
All influenza viruses can change. It is possible that an avian influenza virus could change so that it would infect humans and spread easily from person to person. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If an avian virus were able to infect people and gain the ability to spread easily from person to person, an "influenza pandemic" could begin.

Avian Flu
Avian flu is currently drawing significant media attention as world health authorities warn of a global pandemic caused by the spread and mutation of the avian flu virus.

A 28-nation conference on avian flu held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam has just concluded. The conference was staged by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World health Organization (WHO), and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

"The threat is real and the potential is very high" for a pandemic, Samuel Jutzi of the FAO told a news conference at the end of the three day event. "The longer the virus continues to circulate in poultry-production systems and ducks, the higher is the probability of infection of humans."

The Associated Press quoted Dr. Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Western Pacific regional director, as saying, "We at WHO [the World Health Organization] believe that the world is now in the gravest possible danger of a pandemic. If the virus becomes highly contagious among humans, the health impact in terms of deaths and sickness will be enormous, and certainly much greater than SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome]."

The WHO official further warned that governments should develop preparedness plans to ensure the continuation of basic public services such as transportation, sanitation, and power in the event of a pandemic. The virus in question, the H5N1 strain, has shown itself to be very versatile and resilient, having infected tigers and domestic cats, which were not believed to be susceptible to influenza. The H5N1 virus is well entrenched, according to Jutzi. He added further, "We must assume that avian influenza will persist for many years in some of the countries that had disease outbreaks in 2004-2005."

Vietnam has been hit hardest by the avian flu virus, which erupted across much of Asia at the end of 2003 and has killed 46 people: 33 Vietnamese, 12 Thais and a Cambodian. Another case has been reported in 21-year-old man whose younger sister may also have caught the virus, officials said. Almost all other people known to have caught the virus contracted it from contact with sick birds. It has killed more than 70 per cent of people infected. While Vietnam has borne the brunt, the H5N1 virus is now also endemic in Thailand, Indonesia and China, the FAO said.

The conference agreed that the way Asia raises poultry, usually around the house and free to wander among other animals, would have to change. According to estimates cited by the FAO, avian flu cost Asian farmers and agricultural industries $10 billion in 2004.

In North America, the presence of avian influenza was confirmed at several poultry farms in British Columbia in February 2004. The outbreak spread to some 42 farms and led to the culling of 1.3 million birds from 42 farms, at a cost of $42 million, before it was successfully contained by the end of May 2004. At least two cases of humans with avian influenza were confirmed.

Avian Influenza in Birds
Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is a type of influenza predominant in birds. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide. The causative agent is the avian influenza (AI) virus. AI viruses all belong to the influenza virus A genus of the rthomyxoviridae family and are negative-stranded, segmented RNA viruses. Avian influenza spreads in the air and in manure. Wild fowl, such as migratory ducks, often act as resistant carriers and spread it to more susceptible domestic stocks. Contaminated feed, water, equipment and clothing can also transmit the virus. However, there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well-cooked meat. The incubation period is three to five days. Symptoms in animals vary, but virulent strains can cause death within several days.

Avian Influenza in Humans
While avian influenza spreads rapidly among birds, it does not easily infect humans, and there is no confirmed evidence of human-to-human transmission. Of the 15 subtypes known, only subtypes H5 and H7 are known to be capable of crossing the species barrier. Avian influenza in humans can be detected reliably with standard influenza tests. Antiviral drugs are clinically effective in both preventing and treating the disease. Vaccines, however, take at least four months to produce and must be prepared for each subtype.

Conditions favorable for the emergence of antigenic shift have long been thought to involve humans living in close proximity to domestic poultry and pigs. Because pigs are susceptible to infection with both avian and mammalian viruses, including human strains, they can serve as a "mixing vessel" for the scrambling of genetic material from human and avian viruses, resulting in the emergence of a novel subtype. Recent events, however, have identified a second possible mechanism. Evidence is mounting that, for at least some of the 15 avian influenza virus subtypes circulating in bird populations, humans themselves can serve as the "mixing vessel".

The symptoms of avian influenza in humans are akin to those of human influenza, i.e. fever, sore throat, cough and in severe cases pneumonia. Human deaths from avian influenza were unconfirmed until 1997, when six people in Hong Kong died from a particularly virulent H5N1 strain.

Threat of a Pandemic
World health authorities fear that if the avian influenza virus undergoes antigenic shift with a human influenza virus, the new subtype created could be both highly contagious and highly lethal in humans. Such a subtype could cause a global influenza pandemic. According to the United States Centre for Disease Control (CDC) there were three pandemics in the 20th century:

• 1918-19, "Spanish flu" caused the highest number of known deaths: between 20 million to 50 million people may have died worldwide. Many people died within the first few days after infection and others died of complications soon after. Nearly half of those who died were young, healthy adults.
• 1957-58, "Asian flu" was first identified in China in late February 1957; it spread to the United States by June and caused about 70,000 deaths.
• 1968-69, "Hong Kong flu" was first detected in Hong Kong in early 1968 and spread to the United States later that year, causing approximately 34,000 deaths. This virus is still in circulation today.

Both the 1957-58 and 1968-69 pandemic viruses were a result of the reassortment of a human virus with an avian influenza virus. The origin of the 1918 pandemic virus is not clear.

About Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. specializes in the research, development, commercialization, and sales of human vaccines for infectious illnesses such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B, influenza, "SARS", and avian flu. Sinovac is one of the leading emerging biotechnology companies in China.

Sinovac now has two vaccines fully approved for sale in China - Healive(tm) for Hepatitis A and Bilive(tm) for Hepatitis A&B combined. The Hepatitis A vaccine, Healive(tm), is currently experiencing strong sales growth in China. Sinovac's Hepatitis A&B combined vaccine, Bilive(tm), received approval in China in January 2005 and is expected to achieve similar sales growth to Healive(tm). The Company's flu vaccine completed clinical trials in April 2004. Approval of Sinovac's flu vaccine is expected in 2005 upon completion of a new flu vaccine production line.

Sinovac is currently the world leader in the development of a SARS vaccine. Preliminary Phase I results show that this SARS vaccine is safe and induces SARS-neutralizing antibodies in the human body. In addition, the Company is co-developing a human vaccine targeting the avian flu virus in partnership with China CDC.

Genetically engineered vaccines

'Inherently unpredictable and possibly dangerous'

excerpt— In recent years, genetically engineered vaccine strategies have been rushed into common use within such fields as medicine, veterinary medicine and fish farming. Some scientists contend that such vaccines are totally innocuous. But a recent and major research report by Professor Terje Traavik reduces the 'safe technology' to sheer naive optimism, and warns in conclusion that 'many live, genetically engineered vaccines are inherently unpredictable (and) possibly dangerous.' Martin Jalleh highlights the compelling findings of the report - which make the arguments for genetically engineered vaccines look frail and move Traavik to call on the scientific community to go beyond the 'Holy Grail' of medicine.

Should you get the flu shot?

News reports have been flooding us with articles warning that the impending flu season may be the worst in years. Even though it is difficult to separate the facts from the hype, a close evaluation of the flu vaccine will reveal that serious questions must be raised about the recommendations that are routinely touted, namely high efficacy with little risk. Anyone considering a flu shot should become informed about the substances coming through that needle, and should be determined to investigate the safety and efficacy issues that are still unresolved.

The vaccine virus
Each year, a new vaccine is developed that contains three different viruses (one influenza B and two influenza A strains). CDC officials select the new viruses based on which viruses were prevalent during the flu season in China and Australia the previous year. The CDC admits that the viruses selected for the new vaccine are chosen on the basis of an "educated guess." [i]

This pediatrician is now advising about bioterrorism. See his past recommendation to parents: Parade Magazine

What’s in a flu shot?
The influenza virus is grown in "specific pathogen-free" (SPF) eggs. Eggs are tested for a variety of agents —usually between 23 and 31— to confirm the absence of those specific pathogens. Laboratories limit the number of agents due to the shear abundance of potential viruses and/or bacteria to choose from. In addition, screening for every potential agent would be cost prohibitive.[ii] If none of the tested agents are detected, the vaccine is reported as "pathogen free."

However, it should be understood that there is a distinct difference between "pathogen free" and "specific pathogen-free." In its July 1996 report, the Institute of Medicine acknowledged that "although it is not possible to produce a completely uncontaminated animal, it is possible to produce an animal [or egg] certified to be free of specific pathogens."[iii] Viruses that are harmless to their animal host, however, may be potentially harmful to humans.

During the manufacturing process, antibiotics (neomycin, polymyxin B and gentamicin) are added to eliminate stray bacteria found in the mixture. The final solution can contain the following additives in any combination: Triton X-100 (a detergent); polysorbate 80 (a potential carcinogen); gelatin; formaldehyde; and residual egg proteins. In addition, many of the influenza vaccines still contain thimerosal as a preservative. Thimerosal (mercury) is being investigated for its link to brain injury and autoimmune disease.

Does the flu shot protect?
There are no guarantees that the influenza viruses selected for the vaccine will be the identical strains circulating during a given flu season. In fact, it has recently been announced that this year's flu vaccine does not include the strain that is being reported by doctors in the community called the "A Fujian" strain. Outbreaks have been reported in Texas, Colorado and elsewhere[iv] that involve strains that do not match the current flu vaccine. CDC tests have confirmed that more than 80 per cent of the 55 strains of influenza virus isolated thus far are the A Fujian strain. Even so, the CDC still maintains that the current vaccine could provide cross-protection against the new variant, but the fact is, no one knows for sure.

Moreover, the majority of illnesses characterized by fever, fatigue, cough and aching muscles are not caused by the influenza virus. Non-influenza viruses (e.g., rhinoviruses respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], adenoviruses, and parainfluenza viruses) can cause symptoms referred to influenza-like illnesses (ILI). Certain bacteria, such as Legionella spp., Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, have been documented as the causes of ILI.[v]

Notably, these microbes are not part of the flu vaccine. Unless an organism’s antigen is contained within the vaccine, there is no protection conferred by the vaccine. It is estimated that most adults will average 1-3 episodes of ILI, and most children will average 3-6 episodes. The CDC also admits that "many persons who have been vaccinated against influenza can still get the flu"[vi]

Targeting the elderly
The flu vaccine is generally recommended for persons aged 65 and older, and those with medical conditions who could experience serious complications from the flu. Medical journals report broad differences in effectiveness for the elderly, ranging from 0 to 85%. The CDC states that 90% of deaths from influenza occur among the elderly. Considering that nearly 65% of all deaths (from any cause) occur in this age group, it is nearly impossible to prove that flu shots significantly increase life expectancy in this group. The truth is that most people —young and old— will weather a bout of the flu without hospitalization or complications.

A serious concern: Alzheimer’s Disesase
Hugh Fudenberg, MD, an immunogeneticist and biologist with nearly 850 papers published in peer review journals, has reported that if an individual had five consecutive flu shots between 1970 and 1980 (the years studied), his/her chances of getting Alzheimer's Disease is ten times higher than if they had zero, one, or two shots.[vii]

Dr. Boyd Haley, Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Kentucky, Lexington has done extensive research in the area of mercury toxicity and the brain. Haley’s research has established a likely connection between mercury toxicity and Alzheimer’s disease. [viii] In a paper published in collaboration with researchers at University of Calgary, Haley stated that "seven of the characteristic markers that we look for to distinguish Alzheimer's disease can be produced in normal brain tissues, or cultures of neurons, by the addition of extremely low levels of mercury."[ix]

Does this prove that the mercury contained in the influenza shot can be directly linked to Alzheimer’s? No, absolutely not. But further research in this area is critically needed because the absence of proof is not the 'proof of absence.'[x]

Flu vaccine now for children
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) adopted a resolution effective March 1, 2003 that expanded the use of the influenza vaccine to include children aged 6-23 months. The recommendations also included vaccinating those aged 2 to 18 years who live in households containing children younger than 2 years of age.[xi]

The flu vaccine most commonly given to children is Fluzone>, a trivalent vaccine grown in chicken eggs. Harvested with formaldehyde and containing the recommended ratio of 15 ug of each of the three prototype viral strains, each dose of Fluzone> also contains 25 ug of mercury.[xii] The new CDC recommendations include giving the influenza vaccine to children beginning at six months of age and then annually, for the rest of their lives. Children less than age 9 receiving their first flu shot, two doses of vaccine are recommended, with a minimum interval of one month between the two doses. However, the CDC does not provide a direct reference to substantiate this recommendation.[xiii]

On June 17, 2003, the FDA approved an intranasal influenza vaccine for use in healthy persons aged 5-49 years. Flumist> is a live-virus vaccine that can cause a litany of problems. (for further information on FluMist)

Alternatives?
If you choose not to receive the flu shot, have a discussion with your doctor regarding other options. However, some simple and possibly quite effective things you can do for yourself to prevent the flu include: 1) avoid white sugar;[xiv] 2) exercise regularly; 3) get adequate sleep; 4) eat a healthy diet, omitting trans-fats; 5) drink plenty of purified water daily and 6) wash your hands. A common way people contract viral illnesses is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after their hands have been contaminated with a virus. The CDC states, "the most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands."[xv]

We are so used to taking medications "for prevention and treatment" that it is difficult to comprehend that these modest recommendations are really the most powerful ways to minimize the likelihood of getting the flu.

Making the decision
You may decide to consult a physician who is schooled in alternative medicine to assess a variety of options for you and your family. What is most important, in the end, is to become as informed as possible regarding your options for keeping healthy and avoiding the flu.

REFERENCES

1. Sabin, Russel and Reynolds. Breakdowns Mar Flu Shot Program Production, distribution delays raise fears of nation vulnerable to epidemic. San Francisco Chronicle. Feb. 25, 2001
2. Charles River Laboratories, A Laboratory Animal Health Monitoring Program: Rationale and Development,' (Winter 1990); Source: Internet address
3. Institute of Medicine Press Release: Federal Guidelines Needed to Ensure Safety in Animal-to-Human Organ Transplants. July 17, 1996.
4. CBS: The Associated Press. CDC Says Flu Season Is Going Strong in Parts of U.S., Vaccine Doesn't Match Strain Doctors See.
5. MMWR. November 9, 2001 / 50(44);984-6
6. MMWR Nov. 9, 2001/50(44); 984-6
7. Hugh Fudenberg, MD, is Founder and Director of Research, Neurolmmuno Therapeutic Research Foundation. Information from Dr. Hugh Fudenberg came from transcribed notes of Dr. Fudenberg's speech at the NVIC International Vaccine Conference, Arlington, VA September, 1997. Quoted with permission.
8. The Relationship of Toxic Effects of Mercury to Exacerbation of the Medical Condition Classified as Alzheimer’s Disease by Boyd E. Haley, PhD.
9. NeuroReport, 12(4):733-737, 2001
10. http://www.testfoundation.org/
11. MMWR. 2002;51[RR-3]:1-31
    
12. Package insert. Influenza Virus VaccineFluzone® 2003 - 2004 Formula
13. MMWR. 2002: 51 [RR-3], pg. 19
14. All forms of refined sugar depress white blood cells' ability to destroy bacteria. See Sanchez A, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am J Clin Nutr 1973;26:1180.
15. CDC— Handwashing: An ounce of prevention keeps the germs away.

Other substances

excerpt— Vaccines may also include a suspending fluid such as sterile water or saline. Vaccines may also contain small amounts of residual materials from the manufacturing process, such as cell or bacterial proteins, egg proteins (from vaccines that are produced in eggs), DNA or RNA, formaldehyde from a toxoiding process, etc; while these materials are not "additives" per se, they may nonetheless be present in vaccine formulations.

Human Cancer Genes Being Spliced into Animals & Plants

Scientists condemn new gene technique

Researchers have developed a technique to speed evolution by inserting human cancer-causing genes into animals and plants. Hundreds of mutant breeds - which would normally take nature millennia to produce - could be developed in months by the method, known as hypermutability.

But the technique - designed to improve production of new animal and crop breeds - has shocked many scientists and environmentalists. Some say the process could result in organisms with human cancer-causing genes being released into the environment. Others worry that attempts to accelerate evolution could be dangerous.

However, its creator, the US-based company Morphotek, says it could be valuable to drug and agriculture companies, making it possible to isolate highly profitable breeds, drought-resistant plants or milk-rich cows. Details of the method were passed to The Observer last week by a senior British researcher working for one of Europe's largest biotech corporations. Although a keen supporter of GM technology, the scientist was dismayed to learn about Morphotek's plans after its directors launched a sales tour of Europe.

"I was completely shocked," he said. "What would happen if an organism containing such a dangerous gene escaped? What if a gene got into the food chain? Some people could suffer fatal reactions." The method involves the isolation of a gene involved in repairing DNA. Some people inherit a version called PMS2-134, which is defective, and become prone to colon cancer.

Putting this gene into animals, plants and bacteria will destabilize their DNA and cause them to create many more mutant offspring than normal. Most mutations will die out, but a greater than usual number will survive, the company says. Thus the rate of creating new plants that can resist disease or animals that can metabolize food more effectively will be increased.

"You can see the logic, but it's like sitting a monkey at a typewriter and hoping it will write Hamlet one day. It isn't worth the risks," GM expert Les Firbank of the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology said. His point was backed by geneticist Michael Antoniou, of King's College London. "It would be cruel to animals and potentially dangerous," he said. Friends of the Earth food campaigner Pete Riley said: "It is amazing this technology has progressed so far in the US without being challenged."

But Nicholas Nicolaides, chief executive of Morphotek, said the work was safe. When a mutant breed with commercial opportunity was found, it would be simple to breed out the cancer-causing gene, he said, adding: "We are not using animals for this process at this time, just mammalian cells."