Biotechnology Ethics Quiz

Chapter 8: Ethical Issues and Biosafety

• Ethics is a set of principles based on ideas about what is morally good and bad
• Bioethics is a field of study concerned with the ethics of certain biological researches, such as medical and biotechnology studies
• Basic categories of moral or ethical concerns regarding modern biotechnology fall into two classes: extrinsic and intrinsic concerns

Extrinsic Concerns

• Extrinsic objection refers to concerns about the application of biotechnology technologies, such as potential risks of different applications, consumer rights and patenting issues, and consequences on the safety of human, environment and society

Environmental Concerns

• GMOs are 'novel' products which have the potential to reduce or change nature's biodiversity or to upset the balance of nature perhaps in unintended ways
• Environmentalists are concerned about the possibility of cross-pollination between herbicide or insect-resistant GM crops and wild-type or related species, resulting in unintentional production of super-weeds that are hard to eradicate
• A wild plant that has been accidentally pollinated by a GM plant now contains the plant's abilities to resist herbicides or insects may result in a "Super Weed"

Further Concerns

• There is also concern on the possibility of horizontal gene transfer of transgenic DNA, which may create new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases
• Certain genetic alteration in animal or plant pathogens have led to enhanced virulence and increased resistance to pesticides and antibiotics
• The potential of GMOs to harm non-target organisms has been reported
• Producers of GMOs claim their products do not harm the environment, but results of risk assessment studies are questioned due to possible vested interests
• Little efforts have been spent on independent risk assessment studies
• More comprehensive and long-term studies on the impact of GMOs on the environment are needed

Socioeconomics

• Concerns about the possibility of market monopolization by big companies threatening the survival of small farms
• Increasing commercialization of science which shifts the focus of research from publicly beneficial objectives to more profitable corporate activities
• These activities raise ethical concerns about scientific purity, the social function of science, and public trust in scientists

Scientific Uncertainty

• Scientists do not fully agree about the potential consequences on ecosystems, health and environment regarding genetic engineering
• Several scientists acknowledge the possible risks of GMOs to human health and environment
• Deficiencies in scientific risk assessment limit the ability to predict and assess the likely consequences of new technologies

Food Safety and Information

• Basic consumer claim concerning GM food is about the rights to know about its safety issues on human health, and the right to choose
• The first consumer issue concerns food safety and the right of consumers to have their health protected from possible hazards derived from eating GM food
• The second consumer issue concerns the right of consumers to choose foods based on information about the natural or GM character of food products and their composition
• This freedom is important because there are food-related religious or cultural beliefs like Halal or Kosher or vegetarianism

Patenting

• Patenting GMOs which allows big corporations to have monopoly on genetically modified plants and animals violates the sanctity of life
• Critics oppose the fact that seeds are now regarded as proprietary products; leading to farmers being forced to buy new seeds each year, rather than saving seeds from prior harvests

Terminator Gene Technology

• The "terminator gene" renders seeds sterile
• Farmers are forced to buy new seeds each year; thus protecting intellectual property of the seed manufacturer

Islam

• Scientific research is encouraged to understand natural phenomena and the universe, and observe signs of Allah’s glory to find the truth
• Consideration of the purpose, and any harmful effects on humans, environment and society
• Halal products and source of genes are important

Key Ethical Principles

• Rights theory, theories of justice, consequentialism and utilitarianism, precautionary principle, environmental ethics, and religion

Addressing Ethical Issues of Modern Biotechnology

• A method to address ethical issues, for example, asking questions such as the harm envisaged, the information available, the options, the guiding ethical principles, and reaching moral closure, can be used

What is the harm envisaged?

• Describe potential harm to stakeholders,(that is, persons or entities, including animals and ecosystems); the extent to which stakeholders are harmed; and the distribution of the harm compared to those who benefit

What information do we have?

• To make sound judgments, thorough understanding of scientific facts and information is essential; and to distinguish scientific facts from hearsay or opinion and to identify gaps in the information

What are the options?

• Identify stakeholders’ objectives; determine the available methods to achieve those objectives; and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative

What ethical principles should guide us?

• Since ethical theorists have different opinions, a suggestion is to use at least three most common principles for modern biotechnology. Addtional theories are environmental ethics, religious, and cultural values

How do we reach moral closure?

• Evaluate if a decision allows stakeholder participation, compromise solutions, and if stakeholders’ interests are articulated, understood and considered, thus justifying the decision on ethical grounds

Biosafety

• Modern biotechnology has the potential to generate benefits for humankind
• There are concerns that GMOs may have negative effects on biodiversity and human health
• Biosafety refers to the need to protect human health and the environment from the possible adverse effects of the products of modern biotechnology

Goals of Biosafety

• Determine when hazards to human health and natural systems will occur; anticipate harmful effects of GMOs or products; discern if GMOs yield benefits as originally designed; and minimize the risks of internationally transported GMOs amongst different ecosystems and nations

Importance of Biosafety in Agriculture

• Biosafety can reduce and eliminate the potential risks from modern biotechnology, thus ensuring safety for humans, plants, and animals
• Reducing the risk of alien viruses or transgenic genes, genetic engineering, prions such as BSE ("MadCow"), ensuring bacterial food contamination remains minimal

NBB and GMAC in Malaysia

• The establishment of the National Biosafety Board (NBB) and Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC) enforce the Biosafety Act 2007 enforced December 2009
• The secretary-general chairs the NBB; which comprises representatives from various ministries in Malaysia

Functions of NBB

• Promote biosafety, encourage R&D and training to related issues, decide on applications and related approvals for release, importation, and exportation; monitor modern biotechnology activities; facilitate data collection, storage, and dissemination; assess risk; and enforce relevant laws