Genetically modified golden rice finally seems set for approval where it is needed to address vitamin A deficiency, but anti-scientific misinformation campaigns continue, says Michael Le Page
Josie Ford
AFTER a regulatory approval process lasting two years, Bangladesh is expected to soon green-light the cultivation of “golden rice” genetically modified to prevent vitamin A deficiencies. It would be the first approval in a country where the rice is sorely needed, and perhaps a turning point in a long-running and bitter battle.
Our bodies make vitamin A from beta-carotene, the pigment that gives carrots and sweet potatoes their colour. But many people can’t afford to eat much apart from rice, which is low in beta-carotene. Lack of vitamin A causes blindness and weakens the immune system, and kills …