Are GMOs safe?
When it comes to the topic of the safety behind GMOs, many of us will readily agree that we are uneducated on the risks and benefits they present in our bodies and to the environment. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of the advantages genetically engineering seeds and crops can have during the growing process of the crops and for the environment as well. Whereas some are convinced that this let alone is enough to be pro GMOs, others maintain that GM crops and products should be closely analyzed and examined continuously over time to find accurate data on the long term effects they can have, not only on the environment but on our bodies overall health after years of consumption and exposure to these …show more content…
We don’t. The two examples above were genetically altered in the interest of our health, but several products are not made for this. Perhaps the most common argument given by those who are pro GMO is this: Americans have been eating them (GMOs) for more than 15 years and there’s no credible evidence that people have been harmed (GMO Foods: What You Need To Know). With this we must look into any testing done on GMOs that could even give viable evidence of harm caused by GMOs. There are several reasons why this argument falls flat, the first one being that no evidence does not mean that they are safe. Regulations for approval of a GM product by the Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, are a little frightening when looked at. The FDA does not require any testing to be done on the product before it is approved, granted companies that produce these products are encouraged too, but it is not mandatory therefore the testing is also not regulated. With this being said, who is to say a product is safe when testing is an option and not regulated? Even with some companies testing their products there must be a continuous time length where the long term effects can develop. Most testing of GMOs is done on a span of 90 dayss, however during a test done by 2 French Researchers on rats who were fed GM corn exposed to a widely used herbicide by the name of RoundUp, they found that “almost all of the ill effects manifested after 90 days” (Phillpot). In making this comment the researchers proved that 90s is not an adequate duration for analyzations to be done. Rats have a life expectancy of about 2 years, therefore this experiment lasted more or less the amount of their lifetime, so then we must ask ourselves if 90 day testing trials will find true
When it comes to the topic of the safety behind GMOs, many of us will readily agree that we are uneducated on the risks and benefits they present in our bodies and to the environment. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question of the advantages genetically engineering seeds and crops can have during the growing process of the crops and for the environment as well. Whereas some are convinced that this let alone is enough to be pro GMOs, others maintain that GM crops and products should be closely analyzed and examined continuously over time to find accurate data on the long term effects they can have, not only on the environment but on our bodies overall health after years of consumption and exposure to these …show more content…
We don’t. The two examples above were genetically altered in the interest of our health, but several products are not made for this. Perhaps the most common argument given by those who are pro GMO is this: Americans have been eating them (GMOs) for more than 15 years and there’s no credible evidence that people have been harmed (GMO Foods: What You Need To Know). With this we must look into any testing done on GMOs that could even give viable evidence of harm caused by GMOs. There are several reasons why this argument falls flat, the first one being that no evidence does not mean that they are safe. Regulations for approval of a GM product by the Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, are a little frightening when looked at. The FDA does not require any testing to be done on the product before it is approved, granted companies that produce these products are encouraged too, but it is not mandatory therefore the testing is also not regulated. With this being said, who is to say a product is safe when testing is an option and not regulated? Even with some companies testing their products there must be a continuous time length where the long term effects can develop. Most testing of GMOs is done on a span of 90 dayss, however during a test done by 2 French Researchers on rats who were fed GM corn exposed to a widely used herbicide by the name of RoundUp, they found that “almost all of the ill effects manifested after 90 days” (Phillpot). In making this comment the researchers proved that 90s is not an adequate duration for analyzations to be done. Rats have a life expectancy of about 2 years, therefore this experiment lasted more or less the amount of their lifetime, so then we must ask ourselves if 90 day testing trials will find true