AstraZeneca criticised over GMs

21 May 1999

AstraZeneca criticised over GMs

THE biotechnology and agrochemical company AstraZeneca is expected to face criticism at its annual general meeting from environmentalists over its policy on genetic modification.

The World Development Movement will warn shareholders that the company “will soon face the barrage of criticism meted out to Monsanto unless ethical behaviour is guaranteed”.

The campaign group for developing countries is critical of AstraZenecas research into GM seeds with characteristics “switched on” by a chemical trigger.

The company is known to have patent applications on chemical “switches” and on crops that expressed insect toxins.