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California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology. Thursday, May 10, 2001 Genetically Modified Foods. Genetically Modified Foods. Wednesday, January 17, 2001. Genetically Modified Foods. Wednesday, January 17, 2001. Or Frankenfoods. Introduction. Today’s agenda Science Regulatory System Policy

aubrey-durham
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California Institute of Technology

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  1. California Institute of Technology Thursday, May 10, 2001 Genetically Modified Foods

  2. Genetically Modified Foods Wednesday, January 17, 2001

  3. Genetically Modified Foods Wednesday, January 17, 2001

  4. Or Frankenfoods

  5. Introduction • Today’s agenda • Science • Regulatory System • Policy • First half of class, science & regulatory system--I will present. • Second half of class, discussion of what policy should be.

  6. How plants are genetically modified • Shotgun • Literally shoots the dna into the plant cell • Agrobacterium tumefaciens • Naturally occuring genetic engineering agent

  7. Other Methods Selection Crossing & Emasculation Intergenetic Embryo rescue Haploid breeding Mutation breeding Semiclonal Variation Cell Selection Compared with rDNA methods: Both involve genetic variation. Both methods involve human intervention. Other methods are less regulated for safety or not regulated at all. Genetic Modification Compared with Other Methods

  8. Pros Increased food production & less expensive goods Healthier foods Environmental benefits Cons Health Risks Environmental effects “Unnatural” foods Agribusiness versus family farms Slippery slope to eugenics Pros & Cons of GM Foods

  9. Anecdotes • GM L-tryptophan • GM not responsible • GM Potato toxicity • Not replicated • GM Maize Pollen & Monarch butterflies • GM not responsible • Brazil nut allergins • Project killed

  10. GM Foods and Human Health • Human consumption of DNA • Dietary explosure • Is zero exposure possible? • Exposure levels to novel proteins? • Comparison with arsenic • Do GM foods deliver new DNA? • How does human digestion break down DNA?

  11. GM Foods Are Unnatural • What does this mean? • Natural versus supernatural. • Natural versus manmade. • Natural versus technological. • Religious dimension • Contrary to God’s plan. • The Interests of Non-humans. • Do Trees Have Standing? • Christopher Stone.

  12. Serious Risks of GM Foods • Novel allergenicity • But GM might also eliminate naturally occurring allergens • Escape of GM organisms into the wild • Upset local ecological balance • Exacerbate agriculatural concentration • Good or bad? • Intense regulation actually leads to concentration?

  13. The Regulatory Process • National, not international • Different standards in different countries • Inconsistent definitions • Policy implications of national regulation • Producers go to less regulated nations • Difficult to contain a new GM food once it is introduced anywhere

  14. Canadian system • Regulation is triggered by product novelty rather than process. • Non-GM process may trigger scrutiny. • Less information is available for mutant varieties than for GM varieties. • Variety registration process

  15. US Regulation • Food and Drug Administration • Regulates for safety. • Voluntary • Did producer do its own tests? • United States Department of Agriculture • Regulates on basis of danger that GM crop will be a pest. Data establishing safety. • EPA • Regulates new pesticide uses on GM foods

  16. UK Regulation • Prepare data in response to questionnaires. • Department of Environment, Transport, and Regions--Environmental regulation. • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food--Food use.

  17. What should we do? • Focus on four policy options. • Laissez-faire. • Tort liability can internalize the social costs. • Market then determines level of testing, saftety, labeling, etc. • Mandatory Labeling. Label GM Foods. • Ban. Prohibit GM Foods. • Impact statements. Require developers to document environmental impact and safety.

  18. Tools for decisionmaking • Utilitarianism • Access the consequences. • Maximize expected utility. • Decisionmaking under conditions of ignorance:

  19. Strategies for decisionmaking under conditions of ignorance • Assume equal probabilities • Maximin-avoid the worst outcome. • Maximax-choose the best outcome. • Minmax regret-avoid the decision you would most regret if it turned out wrong.

  20. Tools for Decisionmaking • Deontology • Focus on rights • Individual right to security against unconsented-to harms. • Individual rights to property and liberty.

  21. Ideologies • Libertarian • Capitalist • Deep Ecology • Consumerism • Others?

  22. Laissez-faire. • Let the market & tort liability system work.

  23. Labeling. • Label GM Foods.

  24. Ban. • Prohibit GM Foods.

  25. Regulate. • Require developers to document environmental impact and safety.

  26. Which is the best option?

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