In a bizarre juxtaposition of irrational fears, a New York State legislator has introduced a bill to ban GMOs in vaccines. The bill, NY AB 1706, is apparently not a hoax but was introduced by assembly member Thomas J. Abinanti, who has passed other bills designed to place restrictions on so-called genetically modified organisms.
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In the unlikely event this bill passed, it would set back vaccine technology a half century and would do away completely with some important vaccines. Abinanti has proposed several other bills that would require disclosure of information about GMOs in vaccines.
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The technologies that would be banned are exactly the ones that allows scientists to make vaccines safe, said Offit. In the early 20th century, vaccine scientists made genetic modifications with cruder techniques – altering viruses by infecting eggs, embryos or animal organs, allowing viruses to proliferate and using trial and error to find versions that protected people with relative safety. Now we have precision techniques for eliminating dangerous parts of viruses and including those that prompt protective immunity.

Combining genes from different organisms was what allowed Offit and his colleague to develop a vaccine against rotavirus – a disease that kills thousands of children in the developing world. Genetic technology of the type that apparently concerns Mr. Abinanti has also been critical in the rush to create vaccines against Ebola.

The bill, said Offit, takes GMO and vaccine fear “To its illogical end.”