Biotechnology and the society

ELSI of Biotechnology

why so much uproar and negativity to biotechnology?

Advances in Biotechnology, and their applications are more frequently associated with controversies.

This is mainly because the major part of the modern biotechnology deals with genetic manipulations.

These unnatural genetic manipulations, as many people fear, may lead to unknown consequences.

some people oppose the new technology, as it will give rise to problems, issues and concerns humans have never faced before.They consider biotechnology as an unnatural manipulative technology.

some groups consider that the biotechnology will provide untold benefits to society. They argue that for countries the society has safely used the products and processes of biotechnology.

A neutral group of people have a balanced approach to biotechnology. This group believes that research on biotechnology with regulatory systems and extending it to the society should be persuaded with a cautious approach.

It is a fact that modern technology in various forms is woven tightly into the fabric our lives.Our day to day life is inseparable from technology. Imagine life about 1-2 centuries ago where there was no electricity, no running water, sewage in the streets, unpredictable food supply and an expected life span of less than 40 years.

Undoubtedly, technology has largely contributed to the present day world we live in every country, besides maintaining living standards at a reasonably higher level.

Risk and Ethics of Biotechnology

  Introduction of  foreign genes into various organisms raises concerns about the safety, ethics and unforeseen consequences.

The modern biotechnology deals with genetic manipulations of viruses, bacteria, plants, animals, fish and birds.

Due to these fears, the regulatory guidelines for research dealing with DNA manipulation were very stringent in early years.

So far , risk assessment studies have failed to demonstrate any hazardous properties acquired by host cells/organisms due to transfer of DNA. Thus, the fears of genetic manipulation may be unfounded to a large extent.

It is now widely accepted that biotechnology is certainly beneficial to humans. But it should not cause problems of safety to people and environment, and create unacceptable social, moral and ethical issues. 

The public fears of biotechnology, besides some of the risks, social and ethical issues can be understood with special reference to the following.

1.  Therapeutic products for use in healthcare.
2.  Genetic modification of foods and food ingredients and their consumption.
3.  Release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment.
4.  Applications of human genetic research.

It is fortunate that there is no criticism about the use of recombinant products for medical applications. This is mostly because the therapeutic products and strategies are designed to cure diseases, alleviate sufferings and improve the quality of life.

Good examples are the use of insulin, interferons, tissue plasminogen activator and various vaccines.