Social Aspects of

BIOTECHNOLIOGY
 Social aspects are concerned with how events may effect the society
as whole and individual in the society.
 It includes the needs of various publics to secure meaningful
information for involvement in decision making on development and
use of technology.
 Biotechnology provokes profound public interest.
 Open Dialogue on Biotechnology benefits
and risks

In order to arbitrate between risks and opportunities, we need a wide

range dialogue guided by objective information, with multilateral
organizations such as FAO playing a key role honest brokers.
Continue….
Governments, consumers, farmers and to lesser extent, scientist
disagree fundamentally on its risks and benefits
The classical humanistic vision that science will naturally lead to
social progress that has been severely eroded.
Scientist bear much of responsibility.
Rather than expanding the theoretical possibilities of biotechnology,
they need to discuss more and more concretely “where we want to go”
and what roads we should take.
Three Principles

A new contract is needed between all stakeholders between north and

south , between public and private research, between scientist and
citizen such a contract would be based on three principles:
Public and Private research to respond a
key challenges

• Research priorities should also put emphasis on key challenges facing

developing countries such as abiotic stresses. The point is harnessing
genetic resources through biotechnology, not just manipulating them.
Access and Benefit-Sharing
• The case of Golden Rice which saw various industries claim some 40
different patented steps at the time of release-is a clear example of
barriers to access.
• The IPRs are crucial to the growth of biotechnology industry, and lack
of patent protection in a country can limit access to the results of
biotechnology originating elsewhere.
Societal Concerns
Harm to the environment:
It is very difficult to predict what will happen in an ecosystem where a
new organism has been introduced — whether genetically modified or
not.
Bioterrorism:
Governments are worried terrorists will use biotechnology to create new
Superbugs, infectious viruses, or toxins for which we have no cures.
Laboratory/production safety:
It's hard to protect yourself if you don't know what you're working
against.  There is also concern about technician safety in laboratories —
even under secure conditions — when working with organisms of
unknown virulence.
Ethical Issues:
There are also other ethical concerns including when scientists use
humans as clinical trial subjects. People will often try anything in order
to help combat illness or disease — especially when there is no known
cure
• https://www.thoughtco.com/societal-concerns-with-biotech-3973289
• https://
www.slideshare.net/priti3195/legal-social-and-ethical-aspects-of-biot
echnology
• https://slideplayer.com/slide/6437073/