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Article Analysis

Name: Pugales, Johnrey A. Score:

Year/ Course/ Major: 2.1 BSEDFIL Date: November 07,2019

Discuss the ethics and implication and potential future impacts of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) based from the article, “The Politics of Golden Rice” by Adrian Dubock.

THE POLITICS OF GOLDEN RICE

Adrian Dubock
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5033200/pdf/kgmc-05-03-967570.pdf

The Implication of Genetically Modified Organism or GMO had been a long process
over decade, according to THE POLITICS OF GOLDEN RICE. Scientist looks for potential
recombinant DNA to make significant contributions or help in the developments in medicine,
agriculture and industry. but had been object by other scientist, with their concerns regarding the
bad effect of this, in human health and in the environment. They also believed that there were
dangers in scientists “assuming leadership in formulating policies that were matters of public
concern some believed that the public debate itself was a great threat and that the fallout of claim
and counterclaim would bring debilitating restrictions or even prohibitions on molecular
biological research.

The GMO-crop, or GMO simply means genetically modified organism, which is an

organism where its gene is came from another species and has been added to its genome. This
Started from the research of Portykus and Peter Beyer to produce a rice which accumulated
carotenoids, as a source of vitamin A when eaten by humans, That had been called the Golden
Rice this contained 3 genes of interest introduced from other organisms, this was later reduced to
2, and then the plant source of one of the genes was changed from a daffodil to maize4 which
increased both the quantity of carotenoids and also the proportion of the most important
carotenoid for vitamin A synthesis by the human body, beta-carotene. One of the the significant
purpose of GMO in the near future is to assist malnourished and resource the poor people. The
reason why the golden rice been delay is because of the regulation. Regulation of GMO crops
includes on a nation by basis review by that nation’s governments appointed officials of data
about that crop including molecular structure of the altered genome, the officials think necessary
to establish the crop that poses no risks to the environment or human health. Obtaining
regulatory clearance which is called deregulation in the US is a long process and expensive, but
regulation is one aspect of what may be the better described as ‘societal suspicion’ of genetic
engineering of crop plants. The sum of all the societal suspicion, and its effects, relating to
Golden Rice can be regarded as the ‘Politics of Golden Rice. Principle 15 states: “In order to
protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according
to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full
scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to
prevent environmental degradation. The Principle which only made number 15 of Annex 1’s 27
Principles, the ‘precautionary approach’ is nevertheless used to qualify the first Objective of the
Cartagena Protocol which addresses “biosafety, focusing specifically on transboundary
movement of any living modified organism resulting from modern biotechnology that may have
adverse effect on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The media do not
help either. Usually pursuing an agenda to entertain rather than educate, they conventionally
adopt the postures of “False Equivalency” described as assuming the correct position between 2
opposing views is the midpoint between them independent of the weight of evidence.

GMO-crops have been found by many independent scientific authorities globally, that is
more hazardous to human health or in the environment than other crops produced by other
methods. With almost the same access to scientific experience as the authors of the Cartagena
Protocol all independent scientific authorities in the world, starting in 1999 have concluded that
GMO-crops are safe The GMO-crops had been prove with no danger anymore that's why it can
be very beneficial for humanity, personally i believe that this discoveries is very significant for
all of us because we all know that our natural resources is just limited and time came that we will
run out of goods to supply all our needs. And because of GMO we can have more supply to at
least support us with our needs.

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