Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela

Maysan Road Corner Tongco Street Maysan, Valenzuela City

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Learning Assessment
Topic: Biodiversity and Genetically Modified Organism
Instructions. Watch the video: “Are GMO’s Good or Bad? Genetic Engineering and our Food
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TmcXYp8xu4

Answer the following questions:

1. What are genetically modified organisms? Cite some advantages of it.
GMO’s are organisms who had their genetics are modified for human advantages and
usage through the help of science engineering development. Some of the advantages of
GMO’s are seen on crops, Crops are prone to pests that’s why human used GMO
techniques by injecting the pesticide to the plant itself to avoid it getting destroyed by it.
Another advantage of GMO’s is the modification of the sizes of plants which are modified for
the benefits of man whether to make them small or big. Some examples of it was micro
carrots and the Carolina reaper (spiciest chili).

2. What are the main issues of concern for human health?

With the modification of a fruit or vegetable, the properties and nutrients are altered and
when a human consumes a GMO food, it has a possibility of triggering allergies and
other side effects of GMO products to human health.

3. What are the main issues about the environment?

With the current GMO capability, the full potential of it wasn’t fully unlocked. One
example of it was the unsustainability of the so called ‘Terminator Seeds’ why was
annually replaced by new GMO technology. Another one is the with the expanding
usage of GMO’s, there are more deforestation occurred for the benefit of more space for
agricultural farming.

4. Do you think GMO’s are the best solution for food shortage/ world famine?
Yes, if it was used properly and when humans can maximize its potential. GMO’s are
currently the best weapon of humans against this global crisis. When crops such as wheat
and rice are used with the proper GMO’s, it can avoid pests resulting to more production
and higher efficiency of returns to the farmers. When that happen, the supply will increase
and can be a reason to lowering the price of it when it exceeds the demand which now can
be afford by the families who are poor and decrease famine
 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Learning Assessment
Topic: Gene Therapy
The Great Genetic Debates
DNA technology has the potential to improve our lives dramatically. But it also raises a
large number of moral, ethical, social and political issues. You need to choose at least three
topics below and explore its benefits and cost. Give your stand about each chosen topic.

a. The Human Genome Project

If a doctor was able to see your entire genome, it could lead to earlier detection of
disease and better treatment. So should everyone’s DNA be sequenced at birth and kept
in a database? If so, who else should have access to it? Should employees have access
if their employees are in jobs in which there is a high risk to others such as airplane
pilots? What if your health insurance company (the folks to pay your medical bills) had
accessed to it?

The Human Genome Project has a lot of benefits to the human society. It will be
the way to scientist to determine the ‘’basis’’ of the genetics that people have. With that,
there will be a great jump in percentage in curing incurable diseases that haunted a lot of
people since the beginning of time. The DNA of every people should have limited access
only to medical professionals and selected persons of interests strictly to avoid leakage.
Employers and heath insurance companies should have access because their business
are greatly affected with the health of the employees for employers and the health of
their clients for insurance companies.

b. Stem Cell Therapy

Scientist believe that human embryonic that stem cells hold the key to treatment and
cures for a wide variety of disease. But others are fundamentally opposed, on moral
grounds, to the use of human embryos for scientific purposes. Should countries around
the globe support or fund research that involves human embryos?

Yes, nothing will be achieved without sacrifices. Arguably, stem cells research is
proceeding with a major sacrifice—destroying the embryo which means killing a person
before they are even alive. While a lot of groups are against with this method. I think that
it should be continued with a lot of precautions, settling with legal law and acceptable
norms. For example, the Hopkins group, they formed an ESCRO (Embryotic Stem Cell
Research Oversight Committee) which includes scientist, attorneys, ethicist, and non-
institutional members to have the expertise and range regarding the issues of embryotic
stem cell treatment
 c. Genetic Patents
Research organizations invests a lot of money to identify gene sequences involved in
genetic diseases and to establish test kits for these diseases. Once a test is complete,
do they have the right to patent these sequences as their own for the purpose of profit?
How might this affect the access and cost medical treatment?
Research Organizations has the right to do whatever they want to their property because
they have the rights to it. They have the option to patent or release publicly whatever they have
discovered. Also, considering that they invest a lot of money while conducting the research, they
need profit. No projects (except Government and Charitable) are started without a goal of
earning or receiving something because of the results. If the company chooses to release their
findings, that will be great for everyone because there will be a lot of manufacturers of test kits
available that can stop the monopolizing the price and causes for it to go down and if the
company chooses to patent their own findings, well it will have a limited access and high
demand that will cause the price to surge up and a lot of people cannot access it due to
shortage or the unaffordability of it.