 In 2015, the selection of Gilles-Éric Séralini generated some controversy.Ulrich Bahnsen in "Die Zeit" described VDW and ILANA as consisting of "busybodies with best wills - and worst possible outcome in the case of this award".The opinion piece, featured in Zeit Online, described the awarding of Séralini as a failure, and viewed his status as a "whistleblower" as questionable, in light of his use of "junk science" to support anti-GMO activism.