Date: October 3, 2017

To: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Investment Board

From: Justin Henry
Subject: Continuing Support of Golden Rice
Distribution List: Investment Board Members

Introduction
Id like to talk about ourThe organizations involvement in Golden Rice needs to be
reevaluated. I understand thatWhile Golden Rice seemed like a worthwhile and viable
investment in 2000 when we the foundation started supporting it, but now we they need to
review our decision. I understand Tthis may be an unwanted opinion but I feelresearch suggests
the foundation we may need to pull out of this project. Researching current progress and
several studies into Golden Rice the poor planning for release, and the unethically conducted
research is a stain we the foundation should avoid. Id like toA review of the promises of Golden
rice, what the research has shown us, the issues with development and planning, and how the
original market of the Philippines has found its own solution may lead to a new decision.

Summary
Golden Rice, a modified strain of rice containing a yellow endosperm due to the
presence of beta-carotene. Research began in the 90s to create a strain of rice that could help
to alleviate the problem of vitamin A deficiency. Although Golden Rice does fulfill its promise of
delivering vitamin A, it fails and many aspects to be considered a success. Golden Rice has a
smaller yield than its non-GMO relatives and , distribution is currently tied up in nearly 70
different patents., and even if it Lastly, was distributed the boost to average vitamin A intake is
less so low it would not reach daily requirements.is not close to what is necessary.

A recent study testing the efficiency of Golden Rice on children, has come under harsh
criticism for failing to inform parents of the origins and purpose of the rice, w. With many
simply told it contains vitamin A. Golden Rice is also under attack by many of its own supporters
due to contracts with AstraZeneca, which despite its intention to freely distribute golden rice
to areas in need, if a farmer sells more than $10,000 worth of crops he needs a commercial
license with AstraZeneca.

The final nail in the coffinproblem for Golden Rice, is the fact that its original target
market of the Philippines has come to its own solution of growing more vitamin A rich crops
such as sweet potatoes and mangoes, which also deliver many other vital micronutrients
compared to Golden Rices delivery of only vitamin A and little else. I believe, based on this
failure to deliver in comparison to more available solutions, that we should cease involvement
with Golden Rice and the IRRI.

Discussion
Promises of Golden Rice

The IRRI began research on Golden Rice in the mid-80s with a the first successsuccessful
product being in Golden Rice in 1999. A second success came in 2005 with Golden Rice 2 a
strain with even more beta-carotene, which is the strain currently being considered for release.
This rice originally was conceived during a discussion in the 80s by the Rockefeller Foundation
to determine what type of rice to create to help the Philippines, the decision was a yellow rice
containing beta-carotene to help weaning infants, which the current Golden Rice could fulfill.
The goal of the project then shifted from a target demographic of helping weaning infants to
preventing general vitamin A deficiency.

Figure 11
http://www.goldenrice.org/Content2-How/how1_sci.php Formatted: Line spacing: single

Many Ppress releases from IRRI describe Golden Rice as a solution to vitamin A Field Code Changed
deficiency, almost as though it was is a miraculous cure-all, . wWhich when compared to Formatted: Hyperlink, Font: 8 pt
releases from studies and more science based releases Golden Rice works only as a supplement Formatted: Font: 8 pt
to a diet already containing an amount of vitamin A.

Research Results

In the interim of the creation of Golden Rice 2 and now, many studies have gone into
the effect of Golden Rice both dietary and safety. With many returning positive results, Golden
Rice is an effective vehicle for Vitamin A comparable to oil containing pure beta-carotene. The
beta-carotene in Golden Rice has been confirmed to be able to synthesize vitamin A.
Unfortunately, while golden rice is effective as the trials like to report this is in comparison to
concentrated supplements, the actual results is are that a days worth of Golden Rice only
provides 20% of an adults vitamin requirements, while in children, with their reduced serving
size, many would only receive 10%, . wWhich means the boost in Vitamin A would be relatively
unsuccessful in meeting dietary requirements for many areas, as shown in the figure.
 Figure 22
https://www.grain.org/article/entries/10-grains-of-delusion-golden-rice-seen-from-the-ground

Even if Golden Rice could fulfill its promise of vitamin A, its major main problem is the
relatively low yield compared to non-GMO rice. The major reason rice was the focus of this
project was because of rices high yield and sustainability, which Golden Rice lacks this, but
itwhich in many cases could be solved with crossbreeding. Unfortunately, due to the
modifications made to how Golden Rice undergoes bio-synthesis, crossbreeding is a difficult
process with limited success.

Controversy

A major research study into the effectiveness of Golden Rice in the target demographic
of children has come under fierce criticism, due to the failure to inform parents of subjects that
the rice was genetically modified, in some cases mentioning little more than the fact the rice
contained vitamin A. Which has led to several of the researchers being barred from further
research. With the attention garnered by this, even more criticism has been aimed at Golden
Rice and the IRRI for Using Chinese children as guinea pigs says Wang Jing, a campaigner for
Greenpeace in China.

Another controversy for Golden Rice comes mostly from the business side, of things
with many portions of the production of Golden Rice tied up in patents. With over 70 patents
spread between 32 companies, only 6 of those companies have licensed the technology free of
charge. Out of the 70 patents, 11 of them could be future roadblocks to production and
distribution. Alongside the strange decision to sell the commercial and invention rights to the
company AstraZeneca, leaving research and non-commercial rights to IRRI as well as the ability
to distribute golden rice freely to resource poor farmers, AstraZeneca maintains the right that if
a resource poor famer makes more than $10,000 a year from Golden Rice they must acquire a
commercial license, turning a project once focused on charity into a corporate product.

Original Markets solution

A major blow to Golden Rice is the fact that in its target market of the Philippines,
initiatives to combat vitamin A deficiency have usurped any role Golden Rice could fill. With a
focus in growing more vitamin A rich crops such as sweet potatoes and mangoes, farmers aim
to answer the need for vitamin A. The crops selected can provide the daily allotment far easier
than Golden Rice for example It only takes two tablespoonfuls of yellow sweet potatoes, half a
cup of dark green leafy vegetables or two-thirds of a medium-sized mango in a day to meet the
vitamin A requirement of a pre-school child 1. The daily intake of rice of a child in the
Philippines is only 150 grams, which if converted entirely to Golden Rice would only be 10% of
their daily requirement. Although that implies that you could reliably acquire that much Golden
Rice.

Conclusion
While Golden Rice is a product that fulfilled its original purpose of being a vehicle of
vitamin A delivery, it failed on being freely available or even worthwhile. While I it would have
liked been wonderful for a miracle cure to vitamin A deficiency , we instead have there is a hard
to produce, low yielding vitamin A pill. From what Ive found it seems that we dont Research
shows that there isnt a need to make a new solution when existing solutions are more
beneficial. The only people who benefit from Golden Rice are the IRRI and AstraZeneca from
good publicity and commercial contracts. So I believe Iit is time for our involvement in Golden
Rice to end

Recommendation
Based on research, I heavily suggest ceasing any further investments in Golden Rice may
be in the foundations best interest, either development will continue to be stagnant or it will
release a semi-viable if restricted product. For continued support of impoverished nations, a
suggestion would be towe support initiatives helping farmers grow crops in similar programs to
the Philippines.

Attachments

1
Grain. Combined, www.grain.org/article/entries/10-grains-of-delusion-golden-rice-seen-from-the-
ground. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.
Charles, Dan. Golden Rice Study Violated Ethical Rules, Tufts Says. NPR, NPR, 17 Sept. 2013,
www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/09/17/223382375/golden-rice-study-violated-ethical-rules-tufts-
says. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.

Everding, Gerry. Genetically modified Golden Rice falls short on lifesaving promises | The Source |
Washington University in St. Louis. The Source, 6 June 2016, source.wustl.edu/2016/06/genetically-
modified-golden-rice-falls-short-lifesaving-promises/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.

Tang, Guangwen, et al. Guangwen Tang. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1 June 2009,
ajcn.nutrition.org/content/89/6/1776.short. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.

Charles, Dan. In A Grain Of Golden Rice, A World Of Controversy Over GMO Foods. NPR, NPR, 7 Mar.
2013, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/03/07/173611461/in-a-grain-of-golden-rice-a-world-of-
controversy-over-gmo-foods. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.

Tang, Guangwen, et al. Guangwen Tang. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1 Sept. 2012,
ajcn.nutrition.org/content/96/3/658.abstract. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.

Grain. Combined, www.grain.org/article/entries/10-grains-of-delusion-golden-rice-seen-from-the-

ground. Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.