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STUDYGUIDE
Environnment Commission
Promoting a proper and controller use of biotechnology
Index
INDEX .................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 2
BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................... 3
MEASURES ............................................................................................................................ 4
CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS ..................................................................................................... 5
UN DEPARTMENTS................................................................................................................. 6
USEFUL TERMS ...................................................................................................................... 7
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING ......................................................................................... 8
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Introduction
Four years from the predicted achievement of the Millennium Development Goals it is time for
us to look back and acknowledge the extent of our efforts while renewing our commitment to the
cause. While it is true that the percentage of the world population that is living in extreme
poverty conditions has diminished from about 40% to roughly 20%, it is important to recognize
that there are areas and populations which still have to deal with inadequate sanitary conditions,
insufficient monetary funds, and lack of sufficient amounts of food.
Since 1917, Biotechnologies have been used in a variety of ways. Biotechnologies were first
used to synthetize chemicals for military purposes, but in the 1950s studies on the structure of
DNA finally proved successful. Today the development of Biotechnologies has been steadily
progressing, allowing for the implementation of more effective agricultural techniques, healthier
cattle, and the discovery of new medicines and vaccines, thus producing an overall decrease of
people suffering from extreme poverty.
The possibilities for progress set forth by the improvement of Biotechnologies open many roads
towards the resolution of issues such as the treatment of genetic disorders, the growth of more
nutritional crops and the advantages of DNA/Gene manipulation in the field of genetics.
However, the wide range of ways in which Biotechnologies can be developed and their
numerous implementations demand for us to reflect on the moral and ethical questions raised by
possibilities such as: Is researched performed on omnipotent stem cells extracted from few days
old embryos justifiable on the basis of scientific progress or should it be considered a major
violation of human rights? To what extent and how should the wide-scale production and
distribution of GMOs be regulated? How far should genetic determinism (the possibility of
changing an infant's genotype and, consequently, his phenotype) be allowed?
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Background
In 2005 the General Assembly adopted a resolution dealing with the question of human cloning
through which it established a ban on all processes and techniques which led to the creation of
cloned human cells and the possible growth and development of cloned human beings: “Member
States are called upon to prohibit all forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible
with human dignity and the protection of human life;” In this occasion the United Nations also
invited all member states to take appropriate measures to “prohibit the application of genetic
engineering techniques that may be contrary to human dignity” and “adopt all measures
necessary to protect adequate human life in the application of life sciences
The European Council passed a convention in which it established the rights of donors and
patients involved in medical processes such that “an intervention in the health field may only be
carried out after the person concerned has given free and informed consent to it” and that “[the]
person shall beforehand be given appropriate information as to the purpose and nature of the
intervention as well as on its consequences and risks
Regarding the question of genetic determinism the Council decided that the modification of
human genome may only be allowed when necessary to prevent or cure genetic impurities:
“Which serve either to identify the subject as a carrier of a gene responsible for a disease
Furthermore, it explicitly outlawed any form of intervention aimed at deliberately selecting the
sex of the offspring: “The use of techniques of medically assisted procreation shall not be
allowed for the purpose of choosing a future child's sex
The convention also prohibits any form or financial gain related to the commerce of organs,
tissues and cells: “The human body and its parts shall not, as such, give rise to financial gain” as
well as forbidding “the creation of human embryos for research purposes is prohibited
The World Health Organization insists that donors be aware of proceedings related to, and intents
of, the use of donated organs, tissues, and cells. It also invited all countries to review the matter
of cloning from a neutral and objective perspective reminding delegations that “developing
science and technology for better health is a religious and moral obligation” and insisting on the
need for “[religious] scholars to discuss the issues on cloning rationally, with careful analysis of
the benefits and harms and resulting in a balanced outcome
Regarding the question of experimenting on omnipotent stem cells, member nations have some
contrasting opinions. Although some allow the use of embryos and zygotes under certain
conditions (eg: Excess fertilized eggs from in-vitriol fertilization, embryos which have not
reached the fourteenth day of development, pre-existing embryos, embryos deriving from natural
aborts) many of them still limit and regulate these practices.
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Measures
While dealing with the question of Biotechnologies, delegates should concentrate their efforts on
two major aspects of the problem.
ETHICAL AND MORAL GUIDELINES REGARDING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTS.
In the past decade the significant development of Biotechnologies has raised numerous issues
regarding the extent to which research performed on living tissues, organisms, and cells should
be allowed. The ethical implications of stem cell experimentation have been world-wide covered
by the media.
Delegates should present resolutions which clearly address this issue, specifying the limits and
regulations which should be applied to research regarding (but not limited to) experiments on
human embryos, international commerce of tissues and organs, experimenting new therapies and
medicines on human subjects and devising appropriate agencies to provide efficient monitoring
on international levels.
AVAILABILITY OF THE RESULTANT PRODUCTS.
Although appreciable progress has been made in the fields of genetics and DNA manipulation,
which allows for the possibility to prevent, diagnose, and cure many genetic disorders, as well as
in the fields of organ and tissue implants, less developed countries (commonly known as
developing countries or third world countries) still cannot benefit from such discoveries.
It is fundamental for the global community, while moving towards a more united and cooperative
society, to acknowledge that a discovery cannot be called successful so long as it’s benefits are
confined to a small portion of the world's population.
Delegates should devise measures aimed at sustaining and encouraging the distribution of
medicines, treatments, and therapies on an international basis, and providing LEDCs with
financial and economic aid.
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Controversial Aspects
Through the years several points have been raised which question the legitimacy of the
applications of Biotechnologies. Some of the most debated and heated questions include:
1.
GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms): To what extent should Biotechnologies be used to
adapt crops and fulfill the need for particular qualities that are necessary? Although by
processing and modifying the genetic structure of an organism we can improve their quality
by augmenting their resistance to parasites, nutritional values and size experts have
confirmed that we are also increasing the possibilities of genetic mutations and disorders.
2.
Stem Cells: These particular cells which compose the initial building blocks of life have the
unique characteristic of being potentially able to develop in any kind of existing cell that is
present in the human body. Furthermore, their study can lead to a better understanding of
how genetic disorders develop in early embryonic development stages. However, the main
source of omnipotent stem cells are few days old human embryos, and current technological
proceedings do not allow the extraction of these cells without causing the death of the
embryo, hence the killing of the newborn-to-be.
3.
Cloning: Attempts to clone complex organisms have already proven themselves successful
on mammals, such as sheep and pigs. Theoretically, it would be possible to apply these
proceedings to human cells. Nearly all countries have legacies which explicitly prohibit
cloning attempts, but some scientists argue that a greater degree of freedom should be
allowed.
4.
In-vitriol fertilization: Current scientific advances allow for the fertilization of a human egg
to occur in artificial conditions (outside of the woman’s uterus), which can be especially
useful in cases where, for various reasons, natural fertilization cannot occur. However, this
procedure has often been criticized on the basis of moral and ethical beliefs. For example the
scientifically validated fact that there is often more than one fertilized egg, resulting in the
premature death of potential human beings.
5.
Genetic determinism: Scientific progress allows us to theoretically modify the genome of
developing infants to alter certain traits. Although many countries allow to do this
exclusively to cure or prevent genetic disorders certain parties insist for the legalization of
full-scale determinism, allowing for the choice of many of the newborn's traits such as sex,
hair color, and height.
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UN Departments
World Health Organization: The United Nations agency responsible for monitoring the
development of scientific progress related to the treatment of maladies, discovery of new
therapies, and outbreak of infective diseases.
Food and Agricultural Organization: Responsible for monitoring member states and
guaranteeing that guidelines and standards regarding the distribution of food are being followed.
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Useful Terms
Cloning: Promoting the development of an organism with the same DNA of another living being
of the same species.
Egg Cell or Ovum: Female sex cell that contains half the normal chromosomes and, when joined
by a male sex cell (sperm), it starts the development of an embryo.
Embryo: Group of first non-specialized cells deriving from the first mitotic division of a
fertilized egg, consisting primarily of omnipotent stem cells.
Gamete: Unfertilized sex cell.
Genetic Determinism: Modifying the genotype of a human zygote to modify/add particular traits,
which is considered illegal and unethical in most countries.
GMO: (Genetically Modified Organism) Living structures which have been genetically altered
and assigned desirable traits.
In-vitriol fertilization: Union of sperm and egg cells outside the woman's uterus.
LEDC: Less Economically Developed Countries.
Omnipotent Stem Cell: Cell which can specialize (develop) in any other cell present in the human
body.
Organ/Tissue Implants: Substituting damaged organs (or tissues) with working versions of them
provided by donors.
Sperm Cell: Male sex cell which contains half the normal chromosomes and, once it has joined a
female sex cell (egg), it starts the development of an embryo.
Zygote: Cell deriving from the union of a sperm and egg cell, developing in an embryo.
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Sources and Further Reading
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/ga10333.doc.htm
http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/resources/policiesandplayers/
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N04/493/06/PDF/N0449306.pdf?OpenElement
http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/treaties/html/164.htm
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB115/B115_ID2-en.pdf
http://www.emro.who.int/Publications/EMHJ/12_s2/article4.htm
http://www.hinxtongroup.org/
http://wwwo.who.int
http://www.fao.org/
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