Workshop Report from SGR Conference 'Genetics and Ethics' (1998)

Genetic Engineering

Report written by Dani Kaye, SGR 

This workshop was very well attended, covering as it did the key topic of the Conference, and Dr Wallace ably picked up the reins of convenorship handed to her by Dr Sue Mayer of GeneWatch, who was unfortunately unable to attend.

Dr Wallace began the session by handing out a number of statements from various sources (pressure groups, government, medical bodies, scientists, etc.) concerning genetic engineering, and asking the participants to identify instances of scientific or emotional language in these statements, as well as those comments which dealt with wider issues or issues of responsibility. The point of this exercise was quickly grasped: every organisation or individual involved in the GE debate has a private or public agenda, is speaking from a specific perspective, and may often have valid points to make, even if these are not to the taste of other parties to the debate. Having illustrated this point very effectively, Dr Wallace then moved on and asked what the people attending this workshop were hoping to do: What was our agenda? Could we discuss the question of GE and perhaps come to some sort of consensus about its desirability or otherwise?

A lively discussion ensued, which largely picked up where the question-and-answer session following Dr Ho's talk had left off. Among the many points put forward for discussion and consideration were:

- Whether to support a call for a moratorium on the release of GE crops to the environment and for more effective labelling of GE foods or foods containing GE ingredients. The workshop was unanimously in favour of this, agreeing that a moratorium on agricultural applications of GE was urgent.

- Research into the funding behind GE research: is this in fact in the hands of profit-driven multinationals? What are its links with academia? SGR would encourage the work of any member who undertook to investigate this aspect.

- SGR's position on medical aspects/applications of GE: Did we feel that this was as dangerous as in the food industry? Dr Michael Barnes here made an eloquent defence of the role of GE research in medicine, and it was decided to continue the debate on this topic over e-mail and SGRforum, offering members an opportunity to debate it openly.

- The potential for a whole new generation of biological weapons arising from GE: this was seen as an area which needed more consideration and close investigation. One suggestion which met with general hilarity was that we might write to Saddam Hussein to renounce GE.

- Education and information of the public: it was perceived as critically important that the public become much more literate in the topic so that they could make informed contributions to the debate. It was agreed that SGR could contribute significantly to this process, both within and outside academia. Dani Kaye pointed out that SGR's Science Matters project was planning to release an information pack for schools on GE topics as part of its general publication programme, and this would make the issues clear in easy-to-grasp language, and would be equally useful for the lay public. Other suggestions included: giving talks, organising local public meetings, and so on. The approach was seen as an essential step towards the empowerment of non-scientists in this field. Public understanding of science is an important step towards the highly desirable public control of scientific activity. This in its turn would result in a democratic and accountable scientific community, a topic close to SGR's heart (see our call for Open Science spearheaded by Dr Alan Cottey).

- The issue of Bioremediation (technofixes through GE) was also brought forward. This was recognised as potentially a very thorny problem, but not entered into during the workshop.

- No to the patenting of genes, specifically the EU Patents Directive on Gene Sequences and Cell Lines. Dr Mae-wan Ho told the workshop that Scientists for a Global Moratorium on Commercial Releases had already amassed 4000 signatures in support of this movement, and called upon all those attending to join the campaign. D. K. undertook to forward a copy of the 1997 State of the World Forum 's Statement on Life and Evolution to all participants for their consideration, and seconded Dr Ho's call for its support, recommending that SGR as an organisation adopt the statement. Dr Barnes did not support this call and made the point that the whole issue of gene patenting had not been sufficiently covered by the workshop to justify a decision at this stage. Dani Kaye. proposed to release the statement anyway, and said that anyone who, like Dr Barnes, objected to it in any way would have an opportunity to develop his or her arguments in online discussion.

- One member suggested challenging companies involved in GE research to underwrite the side-effects if anything were to go wrong with their programmes. Drs Wallace and Ho pointed out that insurance companies would be unwilling to be involved in such an activity.

- It was generally agreed that action must be rapid and effective, and members were reminded that statements and suggestions could quickly be disseminated to the rest of the membership through e-mail and SGRforum, as well as by more conventional means. Members were urged to write articles, lobby Government and put their arguments, demand labelling of foodstuffs and segregation of GE foodstuffs within stores, organise meetings and conferences, and spread the message of good science , which boils down to a holistic approach, avoiding potentially dangerous reductionism.

- Student representatives stated that they were due to convene a number of debates on GE, science and ethics, and requested support for this, which SGR wholeheartedly agreed to give to the best of its ability.

- A member asked whether it was possible to ascertain where in the UK GE test crops were being planted, and suggestions were made that if the information were gathered it might be released on Internet.

- It was generally agreed that further meetings should be convened if possible to keep the momentum going, and members agreed to attempt to get such events under way in their local areas.

Closing the workshop, Dr Wallace pointed out that the most effective way to go about making a difference was to avoid working in isolation; she recommended that members form local coalitions with similarly minded groups, stay in touch with events and avoid despair. Her words were particularly heart-warming and provided a fitting end to this highly charged session.