Genomics and Society
| Series: | |
| Publisher: | Routledge |
| Subject: | Medical genetics, Genomics--Moral and ethical aspects, Genetic Engineering--Ethics, Genomics--Ethics, Bioethical Issues, Organisms, Genetically Modified, Public Policy |
| Authors: | George Gaskell , Martin W. Bauer |
| Pages: | 261 pages |
| Binding: | Hardcover |
| ISBN: | 9781844071135 |
| Call No: | QH 438.7 G335 2006 |
From the mid 1990s to the present day, agricultural biotechnology--GM crops and foods--has been the focus of debate and conflict in many European countries. Contrasting views of risks and benefits, trust in science and regulation, the understanding of science, media coverage, and mobilization of the public by civil society groups--all have been cited as drivers of public opinion. Designed in part to allay public concerns about GM agriculture, a European moratorium led to a new regulatory framework. The long running controversy is a signal that the publics view cannot be ignored in the development and implementation of new technologies arising out of genomics. Yet, agricultural biotechnologies are but one development in this area. Genetic testing and the uses of genetic information, the cloning human cells and tissues, and transgenic animals are potentially no less challenging for the public and regulators alike.