Sie sind auf Seite 1von 8

Running head: THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 1

Community Problem Report:

The Effects of Continued Use of GMOs on Health

Maya Cartagena

The University of El Paso at Texas


THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 2

Recently in biotechnology, genetically modified organisms have been a major source of

discourse. Genetically modified organisms, (also known as GMOs,) are living beings that have

had their genetic code changed in some way (Purdue University, n.d.). According to the

Institute for Responsible Technology (n.d.), genetically modified organisms are in many types of

food due to many factors including usage in crops that go into many types of produce; mainly

corn, and soybeans because they are used to produce so many other types of consumable items.

The Institute also states that pollination from GM flower pollen and other types of pollen to other

organisms that were not originally modified lead to GM honey as well as seeds. Dairy products

can also be modified by hormone injections into cows, as explained once again by the Institute

for Responsible Technology. There are many arguments for and against the use of modified

organisms based on concern for health however before analyzing an argument fully, it is

important to understand the main aspects of modified organisms which are the uses of GMs, the

labeling of them, as well as their actual effect on health which this paper will serve to fully

analyze and explain.

The uses of genetically modified organisms are incredibly broad, due to their versatility.

In 2015, Genetics Generation, a company dedicated to informing the public of recent genetic

developments in a nonbiased form, provided a list of different types of modified organisms and

what they are used for. Golden rice is a GMO that produces beta-carotene, the precursor to

vitamin A (Genetics Generation, 2015), this is useful to countries such as Africa and Southeast

Asia, where vitamin A deficiency effects many citizens and causes the highest number of infant

mortality worldwide (Potrykus, 2017). There are modified goats which already create proteins

that are important without modification, but with modification can create a plasma protein that

can help those who have vascular disorders by helping their blood cells coagulate. (Genetics
THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 3

Generation, 2015). GMOs arent used only for medicine though; some goats can be modified to

produce silk that is used to create bullet proof vests, and there are modified roses that are blue

rather than the normal red, yellow, white, and pink (Genetics Generation, 2015).

Blue roses, bullet proof vests, and treating deficiencies arent where the controversy lays

with the concern for heath due to modified organisms, however. Most arguments about health

concerns from modified organisms funnel into a concern for the lack of government regulations

about usage and labeling of GMOs. In 2016, a law was put into place in the United States that

requires a label that states that the food contains modified organisms, which many were unhappy

about because the label was in the form of a QR code, which still provides all the same

information, given the shopper has a smart phone (Charles, 2016). According to the Responsible

Technology Institution (n.d.), this poses a health concern for food allergies, because there is a

fear of an unknown allergen lurking in mislabeled modified foods. However, all consumers are,

as of 2016 given access to the information about whatever modified product they are purchasing.

Also, there are many cases of paranoia and the fear of the unknown rather than physiological

reactions to modified organisms, as documented by Richard Braun from the Journal of

Biotechnology, About 30 people claimed to have suffered an allergic attack from the product,

although subsequent laboratory studies failed to confirm even a single case of allergy (2002).

Labeling regulations and a few health concerns tie together when it comes to modified

organisms, but there are others potential that come to light when examining GMOs. Many

concerns for health tie in with those for the environment, where there is a fear of modified

organisms growing faster, or taking over non-modified crops, however, In the longest term

experiment so far, four different crops (oilseed rape, potato, maize and sugar beet) were grown in

12 different habitats and monitored over a period of 10 years. In no case were the genetically
THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 4

modified plants found to be more invasive or more persistent than their conventional

counterparts (Braun, 2002). Many concerns are of the unknown rather than anything with

backed information, because, as with any new scientific finding, there must be precautionary

measures, just in the event that the worst could happen. Many consumers believe there is a

toxicity prevalent in GMOs due to them being injected with unknown toxins. An article from

Harvard University addressed this concern of toxins, where they had a test to counter an

argument that claimed, that rats fed a diet containing a GMO potato had virtually every organ

system adversely affected after just ten days of feeding, (Norris, 2015) when Harvard conducted

the study that after They fed the rats over 7,000 times the average human daily consumption of

either GMO or non-GMO tomato or sweet pepper for 30 days and monitored their overall

health, (Norris, 2015) and it was found that there were no differences in the stomach, liver,

heart, kidney, spleen, or reproductive organs of GMO versus non-GMO fed rats. Despite massive

ingestion of GMO potato, tomato, or sweet pepper, these studies demonstrated no differences in

the vitality or health of the animals, even at the microscopic level (Norris, 2015). There is a

response to many claims that modified organisms are harmful to human health, as well as that of

the earth, but many are inconclusive when tested, showing much of the harm is from fear.

The basic arguments against GMOs affecting health are based on lack of knowledge of

the research done showing the lack of harm done by them, Research may prove genetically

modified organisms are safe to eat, but the swelling trend toward non-GMO foods shows many

skeptical shoppers don't care (Malcolm, 2016). According to USA Today, A committee

convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reviewed more

than 900 studies and 20 years worth of data. Despite its thoroughness, it's not likely to drastically

alter consumer opinion, says Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst at NPD Group.
THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 5

The reason: At the crux of the debate over GMOs is the fact it's one largely based on fear, not

logic, (Malcolm, 2016, and Seifer n.d. as cited by Malcolm). In order to move forward in

Biotechnology and increase modified organisms such as Golden Rice, and many other medically

useful GMOs that help those in need, awareness of genetically modified organisms being safe to

consume, and produce must be raised. Many arguments against GMOs claim that since they are a

relatively new science, modified organisms cannot be trusted yet, however according to Harvard

Universitys Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, humans have been altering the genetics of

organisms for over 30,000 years (Rangel, 2015), while our ancestors had no concept of

genetics, they were still able to influence the DNA of other organisms by a process called

selective breeding or artificial selection. These terms, coined by Charles Darwin, describe

the process of choosing the organisms with the most desired traits and mating them with the

intention of combining and propagating these traits through their offspring (Rangel, 2015).

Genetically modified organisms are not something to be afraid of, as seen in and proven by many

studies from trustworthy universities such as Harvard, and Purdue, and countless other

researchers.
THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 6

Timeline by Maurer, A. (2015, August 9). Science in the News [Chart]. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief-look-at-the-long-history-of-gmo-technology/
THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 7

References

Braun, R. (2002). Peoples concerns about biotechnology: some problems and some

solutions. Journal of Biotechnology 98, 3-8. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Discourse/Braun-Peoples-Concerns-Biotech-2002.pdf

Charles, D. (Writer). (2016, July 14). Congress Just Passed A GMO Labeling Bill. Nobody's

Super Happy About It [Transcript, Radio series episode]. In The Salt: What's on Your

Plate. National Public Radio (NPR).

Genetics generation. (2015). Transgenic organisms. Retrieved November 08, 2017, from

http://knowgenetics.org/transgenic-organisms/

Institute for responsible technology, (n.d.). GMO Education. Retrieved November 07, 2017,

from http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education/

Malcolm, H. "GMOs may be safe, but skeptics say otherwise." USA Today, 19 May 2016, p.

01B. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, 10. Accessed November 07 2017, from

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A452783568/OVIC?u=txshracd2603&xid=1002e6

Norris, M. L. (2015, August 10). Will GMOs hurt my body? The publics concerns and how

scientists have addressed them [Web log post]. Harvard University, The Graduate School

of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/will-gmos-hurt-my-body/

Potrykus, I. (2017). The GMO-crop potential for more, and more nutritious food is blocked by

unjustified regulation. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 2(2), 90-96. Retrieved

November 8, 2017, from

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2444569X17300148
THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED USE OF GMOS ON HEALTH 8

Purdue University. (n.d.). The science of GMOs. Retrieved November 08, 2017, from

https://ag.purdue.edu/GMOs/Pages/WhatareGMOs.aspx

Rangel, G., & Maurer, A. (2015, August 9). From corgis to corn: a brief look at the long history

of GMO technology [Web log post]. Harvard University, The Graduate School of Arts

and Sciences. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief-look-at-the-long-

history-of-gmo-technology/

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen