Professional Ethics

Genetically Modified Foods

Genetic modification (GM) is a technology for altering the genetic make-up (the DNA) of living organisms so they are able to make new substances or perform new or different functions. Genetic modification is sometimes referred to as genetic engineering, or GE, (Nelson, 2001).

Like all organisms new to New Zealand, genetically modified organisms potentially have positive or negative effects on the environment, the economy and our society. This is because different organisms have different characteristics, and their risks and benefits will depend on where and how each organism is used. For this reason, New Zealands evaluations of genetically modified organisms are based on the principle of case by case assessment.

There are widely differing views on genetic modification. Many people insist that genetic modification is safe if done carefully and monitored closely. Others consider the potential risks to be too great to allow the release of genetically modified organisms but will support laboratory research. Some say that all genetic modification goes too far in "tampering with nature" and should be completely stopped. People also have differing views about the benefits genetic modification might bring and the risks it could pose. Some of the potential benefits are obvious, (Nelson, 2001).

Genetic modification in containment has been used in New Zealand scientific research for more than 20 years to better understand how living things work and to produce certain medicines. Some food-processing aids such as rennet for cheeses are also produced using genetic modification technology. In these ways it is already providing benefits. Potential benefits for New Zealand in the future might include treatments for diseases, crops that are resistant to particular pests and diseases and require fewer agricultural chemicals, food that has greater nutritional value, the production of pharmaceuticals from plants, and better ways to control pests such as possums, (Thomson, 2006).

On the other hand, we can't always be certain about the effects of modifying living organisms in this way. For example, if released some of these organisms, like other new organisms, could have characteristics that may be undesirable in New Zealand. Some farmers worry that the presence of genetically modified material in their products could damage their sales and affect markets. Some New Zealanders are uncertain about the safety of genetically modified food. That is why New Zealand has implemented a strict system for controlling genetic modification. This looks at each case on its own merits to manage potential risks and maximise potential benefits.

A common approach to thinking about the ethics of the genetic engineering of food crops and the appropriate regulatory environment is by evaluating safety and weighing potential risks and benefits.

Disadvantages

1.First are potential risks to the environment and wildlife.

a) Genes may "escape" and find their way into other members of the species or other species. Imagine the trouble if herbicide-resistant genes found their way into weeds.

b) GM crops could compete or breed with wild species threatening biodiversity.

c) Monogenetic crops may not react sufficiently to environmental stresses, posing the danger of an reenactment of Ireland's potato famine.

d) What are the risks to birds, insects and other non-target species that come into contact with or consume GM plants?

2. Second are potential risks to human health.

a) There is the potential that allergy-producing genes will be inserted into unrelated foodstuffs. Since GM foods are not labeled, a person could suffer a potentially fatal allergic reaction, e.g., an allergenic Brazil nut gene was transferred to a soybean variety, but the resultant modified crop was never released to the public.

b) GM products may inadvertently enter the human food supply as evidenced by the settlement earlier this month between Syngenta and the U.S. government over the accidental sale of unapproved GM (Bt10) corn seed to farmers.

3. Third are potential socio-economic effects.

a) Small-scale farmers could be negatively impacted by the market dominance of a few powerful seed companies. Some worry about the potential loss of traditional farming practices such as collecting, storing, and replanting seed.

b) The proprietary nature of biotechnology may slow basic research, and patent protection may hinder the entry of GM foods into developing countries as has been the case with pharmaceuticals.

4. Fourth is the potential risk to public trust generated in part by industry refusal to label GM foods as such.

(Uppangala, 2010)

Benefits

1. First, there are potential benefits to agricultural productivity through the development of crops more resistant to pests, disease, and severe weather, decreasing the risk of devastating crop failure.

2. Second are potential benefits to the environment including:

a) Improved productively could result in more food from less land and a decreasing reliance on the cultivation of marginal land.

b) Genetically engineered pest and disease resistance could reduce the need for pesticides and other chemicals, thereby decreasing the environmental load and farmer exposure to toxins.

c) The potential longer shelf life of fruits and vegetables could decrease the gross wastage associated with transportation and storage.

3. Third are potential benefits to human health and well being.

a) Genetic engineering could be used to remove genes associated with allergies, e.g., the blocking of the gene that produces the allergenic protein in peanuts.

b) The insertion of genes into crops such as rice and wheat can enhance their nutritional value, e.g., Golden Rice.

c)Genetic modification could be used to produce healthier foods, e.g., by eliminating trans fats or caffeine for example.

d) Genetic engineering could be used to develop pharmaceuticals and vaccines in plants, decreasing the risk of adverse reactions and enabling faster vaccination of large populations.

(Uppangala, 2010)

Although weighing risks and benefits is necessary, it is neither easy nor the sole concern in considering the ethics of agricultural biotechnology. Certainly, both human well being and environmental safety are of primary concern; but our ethical obligations are not discharged solely by a guarantee of some degree of protection from harm, as important as that is. We also must be concerned with justice and the common good, raising concerns about human and environmental sustainability and the just distribution of nutritious food and acknowledging the need for thoughtful regulation that addresses necessary human and environmental protections while pursuing benefit. Such a task might well begin with a good dose of humility.

And so, as we approach the "future of food" and the questions we have before us today are:

• Should we have genetically modified foods?
• And, since we do, how ought they be regulated?
• How do we weigh values and risk in biotechnology?
• And, finally, is the genetic modification of food necessary to relieve world hunger?

References:

Thomson, J. (2006). "GM Crops : Unlocking the Potential". Published by CSIRO Publishing.

Nelson, G. (2001). "Genetically modified organisms in agriculture : economics and politics". Published by San Diego, Calif. ; London : Academic Press. 

Uppangala, N. (2010). "Genetically Modified Food - Advantages and Disadvantages". Retrieved from: www.biotecharticles.com/.