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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 1 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? 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 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/ 8