The idea of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which first came about in the 19th century, has left many scientists intrigued and polarized on the issue of safety. In essence, the true purpose behind genetic enhancements is to be able to design a perfect product, which entails “[s]cientists taking the gene for a desired trait in one plant/animal, and inserting it into a cell of another plant/animal” (1). Particularly, GMOs have been used primarily in the agricultural and medicinal sectors, where it has different usage along with similar perceptions from the scientific community.
The use of GMOs in agriculture has been highlighted time and again, often brought up in the media as derogatory. In actuality, however, genetically modified plants & animals have allowed agriculture to cultivate in a way that it couldn’t before. Most of the GMO crops grown today were developed to help farmers prevent crop loss, cited as a significant hurdle in the fight against hunger, with the three most common traits found being resistance to insect damage, tolerance to herbicides, and resistance to plant viruses (1, 4). Insect damage resistance and tolerance against herbicides would in turn allow farmers to apply fewer spray pesticides on their crops and specifically target the weed population (2). Through genetic modification, food became more accessible and affordable, helping to reduce food waste as well. A case study in which the importance of GMOs was positively portrayed was the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s field trials of Golden Rice. Simply put, the purpose of the trials was to approve Golden Rice, a variety which were genetically modified to deliver high levels of β-carotene within the seed (4). It was found that β-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A, a vital component of the proteins that are essential for good sight (4). A large majority of the Filipino population, especially children, were becoming blind as a result of the absence of β-carotene, and as such, the government decided to sponsor research that would allow for scientists to develop a variety of rice (a staple food in their diet) that would introduce the protein in their people’s immune systems (4). Ultimately, it was shot down by anti-GMO organizations, an action the scientific community altogether condemned. In essence, however, the rice was a medium through which nutrition was improved, just one of the ways that GMOs were positively impacting people (4).
In addition, vast developments have occurred for the usage of GMOs within the medicine sector as well. Specifically, biopharmaceuticals, the products obtained from the use of GMOs, were well established and have been fully accepted (4). In particular, recombinant protein and DNA technology has been widely used to develop effective treatments for a variety of diseases and ailments, with no effort to ban them (4). A prime example of this is the use of GMO bacteria which has been used to produce human insulin for the treatment of diabetes, which has allowed the pharmaceutical sector to keep up with the ever-growing demand for the precious insulin (4). Extensive research was conducted on biopharmaceuticals in order to prove their efficacy, and they were deemed safe by the FDA and the other global health organizations.
To sum, while the recent notion regarding GMOs has been conflicted, they were ultimately cultivated with a purpose to genuinely improve the lives of people around the world, as demonstrated through the agricultural and medicine sectors. Being able to keep up with the growing demand for precious resources such as food and ample medicine only able to occur with the introduction of GMOs, further demonstrating their positive attributes within the scientific community and global outlook.
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Written by: Shreya Bhardwaj
Date Published: 1/22/2021
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SOURCES:
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2018). Genetically engineered foods: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002432.htm#:~:text=Tastier%20food,cost%20and%20longer%20shelf%20life.
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2020). How GMO Crops Impact Our World. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/how-gmo-crops-impact-our-world.
Purdue University. (2020). Why do we use GMOs? https://ag.purdue.edu/GMOs/Pages/WhyGMOs.aspx.
Melvin, O. J. (2014). Why we need GMO crops in agriculture. Missouri medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6173531/.
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