Genetically Modified (GM) Crops: Precautionary Science and Conflicts of Interests
Author(s)
Myhr, Anne Ingeborg; Traavik, Terje
Abstract
Risk governance of GM plants and GM food products is presently subject to heated scientific and public controversies. Scientists and representatives of the biotechnology industry have dominated debates concerning safety issues. The public is suspicious with regard to the motives of scientists, companies, and political institutions involved. The dilemmas posed are nested, embracing value questions, scientific uncertainty, and contextual issues. The obvious lack of data and insufficient information concerning ecological effects call for application of the Precautionary Principle (PP). One of our major conclusions is that precautionary GMP usage requires risk assessment criteria yet undeveloped, as well as broader and more long-term conceptions of risk, uncertainty, and ignorance.
