What Risk Assessments of Genetically Modified Organisms Can Learn from Institutional Analyses of Public Health Risks
Joint Authors
Rajan, S. Ravi
Letourneau, Deborah K.
Source
Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-8, 8 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2012-11-04
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
8
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
The risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are evaluated traditionally by combining hazard identification and exposure estimates to provide decision support for regulatory agencies.
We question the utility of the classical risk paradigm and discuss its evolution in GMO risk assessment.
First, we consider the problem of uncertainty, by comparing risk assessment for environmental toxins in the public health domain with genetically modified organisms in the environment; we use the specific comparison of an insecticide to a transgenic, insecticidal food crop.
Next, we examine normal accident theory (NAT) as a heuristic to consider runaway effects of GMOs, such as negative community level consequences of gene flow from transgenic, insecticidal crops.
These examples illustrate how risk assessments are made more complex and contentious by both their inherent uncertainty and the inevitability of failure beyond expectation in complex systems.
We emphasize the value of conducting decision-support research, embracing uncertainty, increasing transparency, and building interdisciplinary institutions that can address the complex interactions between ecosystems and society.
In particular, we argue against black boxing risk analysis, and for a program to educate policy makers about uncertainty and complexity, so that eventually, decision making is not the burden that falls upon scientists but is assumed by the public at large.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Rajan, S. Ravi& Letourneau, Deborah K.. 2012. What Risk Assessments of Genetically Modified Organisms Can Learn from Institutional Analyses of Public Health Risks. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-8.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-454127
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Rajan, S. Ravi& Letourneau, Deborah K.. What Risk Assessments of Genetically Modified Organisms Can Learn from Institutional Analyses of Public Health Risks. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-8.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-454127
American Medical Association (AMA)
Rajan, S. Ravi& Letourneau, Deborah K.. What Risk Assessments of Genetically Modified Organisms Can Learn from Institutional Analyses of Public Health Risks. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. 2012. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-8.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-454127
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-454127