Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues

Social Issues:

Genetic medicine has the potential to change global public health. Edible plant vaccines are a major outcome of GMOs and can protect people from a number of harmful diseases. GMOs provide more food for the world and is very sustainable. People are able to grow GMOs no matter any variable (climate, diseases, etc).

 

Ethical Issues:

Potentially everyone can gain from genetically modified crops. With benefits such as edible plant vaccines, larger food supply and higher sustainability,it seems as if its hard to go wrong with GMOs. Nonetheless, people tend to worry about these crops, saying they are unhealthy and can lead to plant contamination. Scientists have proven that GMOs can cause organ an immune system damage, infertility, and premature aging. GMOs can leave behind bacteria and causes long term problems. Another common problem was chronic illnesses. Disorders like autism and food allergies increased after GMOs were introduced to society. Many will also argue that GMOs harm the environment and decrease levels of biodiversity. The pesticides they use eliminate habitats for plants and animals and pollute water and air quality.

Legal Issues:

The type of regulation varies depending on the type of GMO involved when making the product. Plant GMOs are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service under the Plant Protection Act. GMOs in food, medicine, and other products are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act. GMO pesticides and microorganisms are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Some people think the GMO seeds should not be patented, but the truth is other seeds are patented too. Patents on GMOs are protected through the World Trade Organization and the UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) Farmers use these patents to guard their investments. Since GMOs are not sterile, companies use legal agreements to ensure seeds are not replanted by the growers.