Biotechnology challenges
Some aspects of biotechnology are very contentious - for example, genetically modified crops, cloning and the use of animals in research.
People can be concerned because they consider the technology is not safe, risks to humans or the environment have not been adequately investigated, the methods are unnatural or not ethically acceptable, and/or the research or application conflicts with other closely held beliefs.
New Zealand resources on concerns about biotechnology
In 2001 the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification considered ethics and other issues associated with GM in New Zealand. The Commission's report and the government's response to it are available on the Ministry for the Environment's website. The main theme of the Royal Commission's report was "preserving opportunities". It acknowledged that biotechnology has the potential to positively contribute to economic and social well being, but there are also risks or concerns associated with some uses and these concerns need to be addressed.
The Bioethics Council - Toi te Taiao - is working to enhance New Zealand's understanding of the cultural, ethical and spiritual aspects of biotechnology, and its website has information on ethical issues associated with biotechnology. The Council was established by the government following the publication of the report by the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification.
In 2004 the Bioethics Council conducted a "dialogue on the use of human genes in other organisms". In addition to commissioning research into how people feel about the cultural, ethical and spiritual dimensions of human genes in other organisms, the Council also produced a report reflecting on what it considers to be the main issues and made several recommendations to government. In 2005 the Council is considering ethical issues associated with xenotransplantation (the use of animal organs in humans).
Ethics and welfare issues are also dealt with by other New Zealand government agencies. The Ministry of Health has a series of health and disability ethics committees that consider applications for research involving humans. The National Ethics Advisory Committee considers human ethical issues of national significance, while health and disability ethics committees consider applications to carry out health research on human participants on a case-by-case basis. Advisory and ethics committees have been established to consider ethical issues associated with assisted human reproductive technologies and human reproductive research. Check the Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ACART) and the Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ECART) websites for more details.
Animal welfare issues are considered by national animal ethics and welfare advisory committees, which have established codes of welfare and guidelines for use of animals in research, testing and teaching.
The Ministry of Health has previously commissioned reports on current awareness of genetically modified food. ERMA New Zealand has also commissioned research into public attitudes to genetically modified organisms [15 pages, 71Kb, PDF].
New Zealanders attitudes to science and technology were studied by MoRST in 2001 and 2005. The government's Growth and Innovation Advisory Board commissioned research into the factors that shape the New Zealand public's attitude to growth. You can read about their growth culture research.
MoRST has also produced a report called Biotechnologies to 2025 that describes global trends and drivers in biotechnologies, and includes some of the technical and other challenges.
The Nuffield Council of Bioethics in the United Kingdom also has useful reports on ethics associated with particular biotechnologies.
