Course: SAT 170 Introductory Biotechnology

Unit 15 Reading and Multimedia Assignment

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“Biotechnology in Agriculture," by Boundless, CC BY SA 3.0

https://www.boundless.com/biology/biotechnology/biotechnology-and-everyday-life/biotechnology-in-agriculture/

Reading Assignment: The ethical and safety concerns of biotechnology
The process of genetic engineering, by which an organism's genome is modified, has led to concerns about potential risks of this technology.

The general principle of producing a genetically modified organism (GMO) is to add new genetic material to an organism's genome. This is called genetic engineering and was made possible through the discovery of DNA and the creation of the first recombinant bacteria in 1973. This led to concerns in the scientific community about potential risks from genetic engineering. One of the main recommendations at the time was that government oversight of recombinant DNA research should be established until the technology was deemed safe. Herbert Boyer then founded the first company to use recombinant DNA technology, Genentech. In 1978 the company announced creation of an E. coli strain producing the human protein insulin. Today, many of the crops and some of the animals we eat have been genetically modified. For example, some transgenic salmon have been produced that grow at four times the normal rate, allowing more salmon to be brought to market sooner.

The safety of GMOs in the foodchain has been questioned by some environmental groups, with concerns such as the possibility that GMOs could introduce new allergens into foods or contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance. Many people opposed to GM crops are concerned about cross-pollination between GM crops and wild species nearby. Pollen can easily spread between wild and cultivated plants, leading to the introduction of transgenes into the general environment. Because these transgenes often code for traits such as herbicide and pest resistance, there is a concern that this genetic exchange could lead to classes of "super weeds" that cannot be controlled.

According to a study published in 1999, there was no current evidence to suggest that the processes used to genetically modify food were inherently harmful. However, a number of more recent studies have raised concern. Environmental groups still discourage consumption in many countries, claiming that GM foods are unnatural and therefore unsafe. Such concerns have led to the adoption of laws and regulations that require safety testing of any new organism produced for human consumption.

GMOs' proponents note that because of the safety testing requirements imposed on GM foods, the risk of introducing a plant variety with a new allergene or toxin using genetic modification is much smaller than using traditional breeding processes. Transgenesis has less impact on the expression of genomes or on protein and metabolite levels than conventional breeding or plant (non-directed) mutagenesis. An example of an allergenic plant created using traditional breeding is the kiwi. One article calculated that the marketing of GM salmon could reduce the cost of salmon by half, thus increasing salmon consumption and preventing 1,400 deaths from heart attack a year in the United States.

It was U.S. scientists working in the fields of cancer research and molecular biology who were concerned about the potential health risks of their work who started the scientific debate on the pros and cons of GMOs. When it was reported that transgenic research enables scientists to cross the species barriers, suggesting the invention or creation of new species, U.S. politicians started soon after to draft regulations for the application of GMOs. These regulations include banning certain experiments and genetically altering microorganisms carrying transgenes so that they cannot survive outside the laboratory. However, in general the U.S. has reacted favorably to GMOs. GM crops do not have to be specifically labeled as such when they are brought to market, and 80% of the land used to produce GM crops is found in the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina. Most of the corn, soybean, and canola crops in the U.S. have been genetically modified.

In contrast to the situation in the U.S., the debate in EU countries went beyond expert circles and involved more NGOs and citizen groups. It also lacked the strong focus on the emerging commercial prospects of genetic engineering. While the model of the NIH guidelines was adopted by many European governments, the emerging public debate quickly reached the decision that an overarching, specific legal framework was necessary due to the novelty of GMOs. The first biosafety laws were adopted in Denmark in 1986 and Germany in 1990; EU biosafety regulations followed in 1990. Many countries signed a contract that stated that GM crops must be labeled when exported. Each country can refuse to let the shipment enter the country if it feels there is reason for concern.

As many of these new technologies become more widely used, the benefits to human health and welfare should be carefully weighed against the risks, both by the scientists developing them and by government agencies. When these technologies are proven safe and determined to be ethical, they can then be utilized in ways that are helpful to people around the world.