Bioethics

The Ethics in Bacto-Aid

In our project’s components there are different ethical concerns. The bacteriocins in the hybrid silk raises questions about health and security: if one is to apply the genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) to a natural environment there will be insecurities. The problem is that we can never, with full security, know the consequences - but we can derive an estimated account of what will happen. The Precautionary Principle helps to resolve this, but the interpretation of the Precautionary Principle differentiates according to one’s preferences and intuitions when it comes to emerging technologies and therapeutics. It basically states that it is sometimes better to not apply a technology or therapeutics, when the results are insecure.

Since bacteriocins have no effect on the humane cells, that we know of, we have decided to work with them. The different trials that a new form of therapeutics must withstand are still necessary for determining if it’s safe enough to apply in a natural environment.

Justice

Working with GMO’s leads to thoughts about justification: how can one morally justify the methods and the results? Bioethics handles the questions by supplying the foundation for the discussion. It derives from theories about normative ethics and medical concerns and has then specialized in the questions which rises in working with modifying organisms.