Issue #43
Last Update December 24, 2005
Technology Genetically Modified Organisms by Sten Grynir There is great controversy, not all of it scientific, about the introduction of genetically-modified organisms into our food supply, our environment and our bodies. Genetically modified organisms are those plants, animals, microbes or cells whose genes have been altered by laboratory methods. Genetic alterations are not new; cross-breeding techniques have been used for centuries to alter characteristics of plants and animals. In the case of plants, this has sometimes resulted in the beneficial inclusion of traits borrowed from different, but usually closely related, species. What is new is the methodology, and the range of differences that can be introduced.
Genetically modified plants have been used to increase the nutritional value of food crops, improve their resistance to pests and increase their yield.. They have also been modified to survive pesticides, be sterile after the first generation, and produce pharmaceutical compounds. Modifications have been made to food species, weeds, and bacteria. Animals have been altered experimentally in similar ways, again to increase yields, fight off pests, produce pharmaceuticals in their milk, and generate tissue or organs that could be used by humans.
Our understanding of how the genome controls the development and life-cycle of the organism has advanced to the point where making these genetic changes has become possible. Unfortunately, our advanced knowledge has shown us how little we really know, and how much we still have to learn. Among the things we still have to learn is the degree of risk, to ourselves, the modified organism, and the environment, inherent in the changes we are making. This lack of knowledge about risk should force us to set cautious guidelines for the creation and use of GM plants, animals and microbes. Unfortunately, only the most modest guidelines have been created in any country, and no guidelines have international force.
The risks to be guarded against include the contamination of our food supply by pharmaceuticals or toxic compounds; the enhancement of pest species by transfer of herbicide resistance from crops to weeds; contamination of non-GMO plants (or animals) by pollinization (or intercourse) from modified individuals; sterilization of formerly seed-yielding varieties; and finally the possibility that some of the substances produced to benefit the modified organisms may be harmful to humans or to beneficial plants or animals. In addition, since some transferred genes are derived from viral DNA or inserted using viruses, there is the risk of viral mutation causing unexpected and harmful results.
Rather than halting GM research and the sale of GM organisms until some day in the future when all is known, a few simple, commonsense ground rules can greatly reduce our risks. These include:
- No plant or animal species that is used as food should be modified to produce pharmaceuticals or other chemicals for resale
- Modification to create herbicide resistance should be banned. Modifications that allow plants or animals to become more pest or disease resistant should be permitted
- Second-generation sterilization should not be a permitted modification for beneficial plants or animals; it can, however be used to ensure that genetically modified pests used in pest control do not become a nuisance themselves
- All GM crops must be grown at a sufficient distance (research is still determining this for several species) and with a timing that will ensure that GM crops will not interbreed with standard crops. GM animals must be, at all times, kept separate from non-GM animals of the same or related species.
- In general, any trait introduced should either benefit the organism itself in a natural environment, or produce a substance useful to humans; modifications that merely make the organism tolerant of human-introduced chemicals (such as pesticide) or environmental poisons should be discouraged.
- Modifications should be made with an eye to species diversity; those that further promote monoculture or a narrowing of the gene pool should be discouraged.
Crops with modifications that improve nutritional value (such as the yellow rice with enhanced vitamin A content) or are more tolerant of harsh conditions (such as crops that can be grown in conditions of increased salinity resulting from improper irrigation) or are hardier against pests or disease can literally be a lifesaver; these should not be discarded or shunned because we do not yet have perfect knowledge. Some modifications that were made for commercial advantage, but which carry potential for great harm, should never have been made, and would be forbidden under these ground rules. International action is needed in this arena.
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