Safety of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s)
When it comes to the safety of GMO’s, we cannot generalise. The potential risks of a GMO depend on the new properties of the GMO in question and the circumstances in which it will be applied. To depict all GMO’s as dangerous is unjust - just as they cannot all be classified as safe. A case-by-case approach is the only correct approach.
New properties
A GMO contains an extra piece of DNA in its hereditary material. In order to determine what the potential risks of the GMO are, various questions have to be answered: is the receiving organism already dangerous in itself? For example, can it cause diseases? What properties does the new DNA have, and what influence do they have on the receiving organism? Can the organism perhaps produce toxins now, as opposed to previously? Or does the modification actually make the organism less harmful?
Use
The circumstances in which a GMO is used are also important.
With contained use – the use of GMO’S without contact with the outside world (e.g., in the laboratory) – any risks can be contained relatively easily if special measures are taken.
With introduction into the envrironment – for example, farmers who grow genetically modified crops – restrictive measures are more difficult to apply. This is why the requirements for introducing a GMO into the environment are much stricter. After all, the potential risks must practically be negligible before a GMO can be permitted in the open environment.
Evaluating application by application
Expressions like “All GMO’s are dangerous” do not accord with our current knowledge and experience. Each application must be looked at separately, which gives us a more detailed picture.
After all, many applications of GMO’s are absolutely harmless.
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