1. Review State two advantages and two disadvantages of GM foods

2. Infer Write three specific questions about the ethical, social, or legal implications of genetic engineering that did not appear in this chapter

3. Persuasion Biologist may one day be able to use genetic engineering to alter a child’s inherited traits. Write a persuasive paragraph expressing your opinion on the following: Under what circumstances, if any, should this ability be used?

CH 15 GENETIC ENGINEERING15.4 Ethics and Impacts of Biotechnology

In the movie GATTACA, schooling, job prospects, and legal rights are rigidly determined by an analysis of the individual’s DNA on the day he or she is born

Are we moving closer to this kind of society?

Profits and Privacy

Private biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies do much of the research involving GM plants and animals to develop profitable new crops, drugs, tests, or other products.

Patenting Life

Molecules and DNA sequences can be patented One fifth of the known genes in the human

genome are now patented commercially.

Laboratory techniques like PCR have also been patented

When you do that test you pay a fee for it Patent disputes over golden rice kept it from

farmers for years.

How much privacy in terms of your DNA, are you entitled to?

Do you have exclusive rights to your DNA?

Should you, like patent holders, be able to keep your genetic information confidential?

To serve in the military you need to provide a DNA sample to keep on file for identification

Who all can get access to that information and for what purposes.

Pros of GM Foods

Produce higher yields Need little insecticide or herbicide to grow Lower cost Lower land and energy use No scientific support for safety concerns.

Cons of GM Foods

No long term studies Harm beneficial insects Overuse of insect and weed killing compounds Price of GM seeds to high to allow small farmers

and farmers in less developed countries to use No additional testing or label is required for GM

food in the U.S.

Ethics of the New Biology

The same GFP technology was used to create fluorescent zebra fish AND fluorescent mice, tadpoles, rabbits, and even cats

Just because we can make these, should we.

Should biologists try to engineer taller people or change their eye color, hair texture, sex, blood group, or appearance

What happens if/when we start making clones of ourselves

What will happen to the human species when we gain the opportunity to design our bodies or those of our children?

Survey Biotechnology Opinions

1. Select two issues for each of the following safety, legal, ethical issues related to genetic engineering

2. Design a survey to ask people their opinions on these issues.

3. Find 15 people to survey (only five can be in your class)

4. Collect surveys and tabulate the answers.

Copy down the following questions to answer after you complete your survey

1. Analyze Data Did all respondents agree on any issue- if so which one(s)

2. Draw Conclusions If you had surveyed more people, do you think you would have found more or less agreement in the responses- why

3. Evaluate How informed about biotechnology were the people you surveyed? If you were a politician or government official, how would you act on the results of your survey