The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is cancelling plans to honour two Sri Lankan researchers who attempted to link a kidney disease epidemic in Sri Lanka to the glyphosate herbicide.
According to foreign media the AAAS which publishes the prestigious journal Science came under pressure from scientists.
The two scientists - Dr. Sarath Gunatilake and Dr. Channa Jayasumana were supposed to receive the organizations' 2019 Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility at the annual AAAS meeting next week.
But AAAS announced on Twitter Wednesday the presentation has been cancelled due to concerns by scientists and AAAS members "while we further evaluate the award selection."
Critics say the two scientists don't have the science to prove a linkage between kidney disease and glyphosate.
Kevin Folta, who chairs the horticultural sciences department at the University of Florida, also took issue with the AAAS press release about the award, which referred to glyphosate as a "lethal" herbicide. Read his comments at the bottom of this article.
The Sri Lankan National Academy of Science made clear statements on the associations, stating that the “research is not conclusive” and “we are not aware of any scientific evidence form studies in Sri Lanka or abroad showing that CKDu is caused by glyphosate.” The same organization also notes no association between CKDu and cancer, which we’d expect if the herbicide was causing both diseases as some claim.
Never believe Kevin Folta. He is an exposed Monsanto parrot. Folta brings shame upon the word "doctor."
The 2014 article, published in a journal that was listed as a predatory journal that published when the page charges were paid, claimed that Arsenic substitutes to phosphorous in glyphosate, forming an arsenic analogue of glyphosate, which then forms an insoluble complex with the calcium in hard water. This substance, though insoluble, is claimed to enter the human body with water and cause kidney diseases. The third author of the publication is Ms. Senanayake who claims to have discovered this mechanism in a psychic seance connecting to a spiritual being known as "God Natha". This was the basis of the hypothesis and why she was included in the authorship. There is no field data or chemical evidence for the proposed substance and its toxicology. If these two authors are going to be given an AAAS award, then the the AAAS should also award the psychic woman who proposed the hypothesis. The California doctor is well connected with the anti-GMO lobby, Dr. Mercola, Dr. Stefanie Seneff and other irrational types who hyped up the whole issue and gave it publicity and made it "true". What has Science come to pass?