Perhaps instead they should be developing ethical codes which set the framework for their own decision-making processes and, perhaps more importantly, send clear signals to the biotechnology industry about which developments are likely to be acceptable and which are not. There are yawning chasms in our research and information about the effects on our environment of growing GM crops. We must not forget that ethical codes cannot be developed properly without high quality information, some of it scientific, to inform debate. I feel strongly that much of this has been lacking from the GMO debate in general. There are yawning chasms in our research and information about the effects on our environment of growing GM crops.
Research brings new and important information to ethics.
Pharmaceutical companies do not operate in such a culture, yet are highly successful. The dangers of an anything-goes approach are all too obvious in the agricultural and food sectors. It was not only a lack of proper regulation that caused the economic, social and personal devastation of the BSE and salmonella crises, but the lack of ethical consideration about the wisdom of feeding herbivores their own proteins and giving chickens food known to be contaminated.