General - Industry - Agriculture & Food
Biosafety - Ethics & Society - Medicine

With biotechnology it is possible to introduce inheritable genetic modification into any living organism. This includes micro-organisms, plants, animals and, theoretically, also humans. Gene technology has opened the way to new procedures, both in human and non-human domains. The use of these procedures raises many basic ethical questions such as:

Scientists, in particular philosophers and bioethicists, religions and society as a whole have to face this ethical and socio-cultural challenge on the concept and respect of life.

Genetic modifications happen all the time in nature, in all living creatures; they have happened for billions of years. These modifications are mutations or recombinations which explain the genetic basis of biodiversity and of the evolution of living organisms on earth. They explain also the unexpected genetic similarities between organisms as diverse as human beings and flies. Since prehistoric times, inheritable genetic modifications were used without knowing to select and breed plants and animals, better adapted to human needs. In itself, a genetic modification is not unnatural, and all living organisms hold the enzymes and other molecules which make them capable of repairing DNA damage, rearranging pieces of DNA or incorporating pieces of foreign DNA.
Now, biotechnology and genetic engineering allows an understanding and use of the molecular mechanisms and tools behind these natural modifications of genetic material. What is unnatural is the acceleration of the natural selection steps and the ability to target a specific genetic message into a non-related selected organism. Even if theoretically possible, such genetic recombination between organisms which are not naturally mating would not have any chance of occurring in nature, at least within the period of time corresponding to human experience. The unprecedented ethical challenge behind this know-how comes from the potential that scientists and industry have to inheritably and irreversibly interfere with nature and with human beings, for the best or for the worst. The international conventions and the national and international regulations of the applications of this new technology demonstrate that the possible misuses and the new risks created are taken very seriously and managed very carefully worldwide.
Related questions:
on the ethical issues
on the control of biotechnologyalso

The achievements of biotechnology and gene technology are wide-ranging ranging from more ecological industrial processes to the genetic transformation of plants or animals and the potential to manipulate human embryos. They also include the production of new substances and procedures such as vaccines, diagnostic tests and new medical treatments. The potential of biotechnology is far from having reached its end. Indeed, biotechnology is regarded as one of the key technology of this century. At the same time, this powerful know-how and all these developments represent a dramatic change in our way of regarding life and nature. New risks and unprecedented ethical challenges are generated. The progress in knowledge and the practical benefits as well as the new questions, risks and uncertainties have a profound effect on the society as a whole.

Related questions:
on the benefits of modern biotechnology
on ethical issues
on the concern posed by the risks for the environment
on the concerns posed by modern medicine
on public perception of biotechnology.

Regular surveys in Europe show a generally low level of acceptance of the applications of biotechnology in agriculture and food. The applications of the medical sector are much more widely accepted, in spite of the concerns raised about some of the applications.
Various factors explain this rejection or scepticism: Strong movements of opposition to GMOs are present in many European countries. They want to maintain the present (2003) European moratorium, focuses exclusively on the irreversible risks of GM technology for the environment and for local agriculture. Lack of information and public scepticism on agricultural biotechnology contribute to biotechnology companies leaving Europe.
The situation is different in other parts of the world. Worldwide, more and more farmers have adopted transgenic crops, and consumers buy GM food. Among others, US, Canadian and Chinese authorities consider these products as safe as their conventional counterparts. Some developing countries (e.g. Kenia) are even campaigning against NGOs opposed to GMOs, in order to make free decision on their agricultural options and have free access to the technology.
More at the website of the Task Group on Public Perception of Biotechnology of the European Federation of Biotechnology.
More on consumers' attitudes

Note: the multi-langual FAQs on biotechnology, food, medicine, safety and ethics have been provided by the ECOD-BIO project (www.ecod-bio.org).